A new study undertaken by a US-based advocacy group revealed troubling data about Americans’ exposure to a little-known chemical found in oat-based meals, according to News18.
The study, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, found that 80% of Americans tested positive for chlormequat, a hazardous pesticide approved for use on oats and other grains imported into the United States, according to the Environmental Working Group.
The survey, which included prominent brands like Quaker Oats and Cheerios, found chlormequat in 92% of oat-based goods purchased in May 2023. The manufacturers of these items, General Mills and PepsiCo, have not yet replied to concerns regarding the troubling findings.
The EWG’s urine tests from 2017 to 2023 revealed an increase in consumer exposure to chlormequat, with greater levels and more frequent detections in the 2023 samples.
Despite continued study into its effects, animal studies have revealed possible impairment to reproductive systems and fetal growth, raising worries about the human impact.
The EWG has labelled the US Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to approve chlormequat use on a variety of crops, including barley and oats, as “dangerous”.
In response, the EWG has called for federal government action, including prospective Food and Drug Administration mandates to test US goods for chlormequat.
Until regulatory measures are created, the EWG recommends that customers pick organic oat products farmed without dangerous pesticides such as chlormequat and glyphosate.
