Good Lifestyle

Pesticides - Whether insecticides , fungicides or herbicides - deserve an important objective. But even if we want these chemicals to work hard to protect crops and keep insects away, we hope they do not have potentially harmful side effects. And we certainly don't want them to appear in our food. Unfortunately, a new study revealed a less known pesticide in a number of oats and wheat products, some of which sold by Supermarket giants Target and Walmart.

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In A new study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology , 80% of American participants were tested positive for chemical chlormequat. This pesticide is often used to repel the pests of wheat, oats and barley - but its main objective is to break the growth of the stem, which in turn prevents cultures from overthrowing or leaning laterally .

Although harvesters are prohibited from using the chemical product on edible crops cultivated on American soil, it is not illegal to import foods treated with chlormequat from other countries, according to the study.

These discoveries should "ring the alarm", " According to the environmental working group (EWG), which also called the "revolutionary" study. The advocacy group warned in its own briefing that Chlormequat has proven to cause significant negative effects in animals and could constitute a threat similar to humans. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

In the study, the researchers collected urine samples of three different geographic regions during six years, from 2017 to 2023. Their objective was to test the presence and concentration of chlormequat among American consumers.

It turns out that four out of five participants had a chlormequat in their system. According to the researchers, the results have proven that the use and consumption of chlormequat are regularly increasing. In addition, the study revealed that granola and cereal enthusiasts are more often exposed to the chlormequat.

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The researchers discovered that 92% of oat foods bought in June 2022, August 2022 and May 2023 were tested positive for chlormequat. Among these products were cheerios, oats, granola bars and old-fashioned oats sold under Quaker food, as well as Granola and Walmart and Target Store-Brand cereals.

On the other hand, only 12.5% of organic oat foods have been tested positive for chlormequat.

The researchers carried out another small test in February 2023, which is concentrated this time on wheat products. Sampling, 22% were tested positive for chlormequat.

General Mills, which operates the Cheerios brand, was one of the best companies that have traces of chlormequat in food. In A declaration has USA today , spokesperson Mollie Wulff said: "All our products adhere to all regulatory requirements.

As for the Walmart brand granolas and cereals and the Walmart brand, Better life contacted the two retailers concerning which of their products were perhaps involved and to see if they intend to remove the items from the shelves. We will update this story with their answer.

The impact of chlormequat on global human health has not yet been determined. However, militant groups such as EWG warn only if the side effects presented in animals - reduced fertility, altered fetal growth and the prejudice of the reproductive system - are any indication of the potential damage to humans, then this study should be A serious awakening calls for harvesters and consumers.