Chemical That May Cause Infertility Found in Cheerios, Quaker Oats
By Cara Lynn Shultz, People:
“A chemical that’s banned for use on edible plants in the United States has been found in Cheerios and Quaker Oats — and 80% of Americans have been exposed to it, according to a new study in Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology and shared on Nature.
Chlormequat is a chloride salt, according to the National Library of Medicine, and is ‘registered for use on ornamental plants grown in greenhouses and nurseries.’
However, it’s approved for use on edible plants in other countries — and in 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency allowed the importation of plants that had been treated with the chemical, the Environmental Working Group reports.
In animal studies published by the National Library of Medicine, chlormequat has been linked to reduced fertility and ‘reproduction problems,’ delayed puberty, and impacted embryonic growth and ‘even has adverse effects on postnatal health.’
‘We detected the chemical in 92 percent of oat-based foods purchased in May 2023, including Quaker Oats and Cheerios,’ a report from the EWG on the study says.
The list included regular Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats n’ Honey, and Frosted Cheerios.”
