In a pilot examine1,2,3 performed by the Environmental Working Group and revealed within the February 15, 2024, challenge of the Journal of Publicity Science & Environmental Epidemiology, findings revealed that 80% of Individuals examined constructive for chlormequat chloride, an agricultural chemical used as a pesticide and plant progress regulator.4
Furthermore, the chemical was detected in 92% of oat-based meals examined, together with widespread manufacturers similar to Quaker Oats and Cheerios. As reported by the EWG:5
“The groundbreaking evaluation of chlormequat within the our bodies of individuals within the U.S. rings alarm bells, as a result of the chemical is linked to reproductive and developmental issues in animal research, suggesting the potential for related hurt to people.”
EPA Considers Increasing Chlormequat Use in Crops
Within the U.S., chlormequat chloride is at present solely registered to be used as a plant progress regulator (PGR) in ornamentals, however the Environmental Safety Company just lately proposed to develop the registration to barley, oat, triticale (a hybrid cereal grain derived from the crossbreeding of wheat and rye) and wheat as nicely, to present farmers one other instrument to extend yields.6 As defined by the EPA, chlormequat:7
“… works to manage plant measurement by blocking the hormones that stimulate progress previous to bloom. In small grains like wheat, barley, oats, and triticale, lodging (the bending over or breakage of small grain stems) is a significant manufacturing challenge.
Lodging can severely restrict grain yield and harvestability and have detrimental results on grain high quality. As a PGR, chlormequat chloride software decreases the peak of the grain plant stem, leading to decreased lodging and probably elevated grain yield.”
Doing so might come at a value to shoppers’ well being, nonetheless. Whereas the EPA claims “There aren’t any dietary, residential, or combination … dangers of concern,”8 the EWG9 cites proof displaying in any other case.
Chlormequat’s Poisonous Results Evident in Animal Research
In response to the EWG, historic and just lately revealed animal research have demonstrated:10
Reproductive declines in pigs raised on chlormequat-treated grains; feminine pigs had disrupted estrus biking and problem mating |
Decreased fertilization capability of sperm in male mice |
Decreased sperm motility in male rats |
Delayed onset of puberty, decreased weights of male reproductive organs and decreased testosterone ranges in male rats |
Dysregulated fetal progress of the top and bones |
Dysregulated metabolism |
Chlormequat has additionally been proven to have an effect on the endocrine programs of animals, though the precise mechanism continues to be unclear. Earlier research counsel chlormequat doesn’t act like most different endocrine disrupting chemical compounds. For instance, it doesn’t use estrogen or androgen receptors and doesn’t alter aromatase exercise.
As an alternative, researchers have instructed it could have an effect on the endocrine system by altering steroid biosynthesis and inflicting endoplasmic reticulum stress.11 As famous by EWG,12 “Though these research focus solely on the chemical’s potential results on animals, they elevate questions on whether or not it might additionally hurt people.”
Chlormequat Publicity Is on the Rise
As present testing signifies, people are already encountering chlormequat by meals, primarily in imported grains. The EPA’s resolution to authorize the importation of grains handled with chlormequat in 201813 has contributed to this publicity.
Increasing its software as a plant progress regulator within the U.S. to embody staple grains would evidently heighten publicity ranges, probably resulting in important antagonistic results. As reported within the featured examine:14
“Chlormequat chloride is a plant progress regulator whose use on grain crops is on the rise in North America. Toxicological research counsel that publicity to chlormequat can scale back fertility and hurt the creating fetus at doses decrease than these utilized by regulatory businesses to set allowable every day consumption ranges.
Right here we report the presence of chlormequat in urine samples collected from folks within the U.S., with detection frequencies of 69%, 74%, and 90% for samples collected in 2017, 2018–2022, and 2023, respectively.
Chlormequat was detected at low concentrations in samples from 2017 by 2022, with a major improve in concentrations for samples from 2023. We additionally noticed excessive detection frequencies of chlormequat in oat-based meals.
These findings and chlormequat toxicity information elevate considerations about present publicity ranges, and warrant extra expansive toxicity testing, meals monitoring, and epidemiological research to evaluate well being results of chlormequat exposures in people.”
Continuous Publicity Indicated by Information
The researchers additionally spotlight that in urine samples collected from people within the U.Okay. and Sweden, chlormequat was recognized in practically 100% of individuals, with frequencies and concentrations notably surpassing these of metabolites from different pesticides similar to chlorpyrifos, pyrethroids, thiabendazole, and mancozeb. This means that people are in all probability ingesting increased portions of chlormequat in comparison with the aforementioned pesticides.
The chemical has additionally been recognized in serum and milk in animal research. And, whereas human sampling to establish the presence of chlormequat in human serum and breast milk has not been performed, the authors emphasize that “chemical compounds related to reproductive hurt in serum and milk have necessary implications for exposures throughout being pregnant and to infants.”
Chlormequat has a half-life within the physique of about two to 3 hours, with a good portion of administered doses being expelled inside a span of 24 hours. So, the detection of the chemical in 80% of urine samples signifies ongoing publicity all through the day for almost all of people.
When it comes to amount, the concentrations ranged from 0.27 micrograms to 52.8 mcg of chlormequat per gram of creatinine within the 2023 samples, with a median of 1.4 mcg.
Excessive Ranges Additionally Present in Meals Samples
The researchers additionally despatched out 25 standard and eight natural oat-based meals samples for testing, together with 9 standard wheat-based meals samples. All meals samples have been bought in grocery shops within the Washington, DC metro space between June and August 2022, and February and Might 2023.
All however two of the 25 nonorganic oat-based merchandise had detectable ranges of chlormequat. The utmost detected stage reached 291 mcg per kilogram, signifying a major presence of chlormequat in oats, as famous by the authors. One natural oat product additionally contained a low quantity (17 mcg), as did two wheat-based breads, which contained 3.5 mcg and 12.6 mcg respectively. As famous within the featured examine:15
“It stays to be decided whether or not chlormequat ranges in U.S. urine and meals samples might rise within the coming years. Within the U.S., chlormequat is at present solely allowed in imported oat and wheat merchandise, however home agricultural makes use of on non-organic crops are at present beneath evaluation by the U.S. EPA.
It’s doable that if such home makes use of have been accredited, mixed with widespread adoption of agricultural practices that make the most of chlormequat overseas and domestically, chlormequat ranges would possible proceed to extend in oats, wheat, and different grain meals, resulting in increased ranges of publicity for the U.S. basic inhabitants.
Present chlormequat concentrations in urine from this examine and others counsel that particular person pattern donors have been uncovered to chlormequat at ranges a number of orders of magnitude under the reference dose (RfD) revealed by the U.S. EPA (0.05 mg/kg bw/day) and the appropriate every day consumption (ADI) worth revealed by the European Meals Security Authority (0.04 mg/kg bw/day).
Nevertheless, we observe that revealed toxicological research on chlormequat counsel reevaluation of those security thresholds could also be warranted. As an illustration, animals uncovered to doses decrease than the present RfD and ADI, of 0.024 and 0.0023 mg/kg bw/day in mice and pigs respectively, exhibited decreased fertility.
In one other toxicological examine, publicity throughout being pregnant at a dose equal to the No Noticed Adversarial Impact Degree (NOAEL) of 5 mg/kg that was used to derive the U.S. EPA reference dose, brought about altered fetal progress in addition to metabolism and physique composition in neonatal mice.
Moreover, the regulatory thresholds don’t take into account the antagonistic results of mixtures of chemical compounds which will affect the reproductive system, which have been proven to trigger additive or synergistic results at doses decrease than for particular person chemical exposures, elevating considerations in regards to the potential well being results related to present publicity ranges, particularly for people on the upper finish of publicity on the whole populations of Europe and the U.S.”
EWG Opposes Plan to Develop Use of Chlormequat
In gentle of its discoveries, the EWG strongly opposes the EPA’s proposal to allow the applying of chlormequat on domestically grown oats, barley, wheat and triticale.
Alexis M. Temkin, the principal writer of the EWG examine, expressed concern in regards to the widespread presence of chlormequat in each meals and urine samples, stating that it “raises alarm bells.” Temkin advocates for added investigation into the matter and urges the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration to include chlormequat into its yearly pesticide monitoring of grains.
“The Environmental Safety Company wants to completely take into account the potential dangers to kids’s well being from chlormequat publicity and rethink their latest choices to permit chlormequat to be current in kids’s meals,” Temkin instructed Newsweek.16
Different organizations have additionally voiced opposition, together with the Public Curiosity Analysis Group (PIRG),17 which collected greater than 10,000 signatures calling on the company to reject the proposal. In a remark to the EPA’s proposal final yr, PIRG wrote:18
“Analysis exhibits that chlormequat chloride disrupts fetal progress and harms the reproductive system. We shouldn’t permit its use on meals crops except and till it’s confirmed utterly protected — particularly since we all know we are able to farm with out it …
All this chemical is used for is to make the stems of small grains slightly bit stronger, so fewer of them bend or break. A barely greater harvest isn’t well worth the threat to our well being.”
Oatmeal Has a Metabolic Poison: Linoleic Acid (LA)
Like most grains, apart from white rice, they comprise linoleic acid (LA). Though it is a small quantity, about 1g per cup of oatmeal, it might accumulate over time. Ideally, it’s best to intention to maintain your LA consumption under 2g per day, however definitely beneath 5 grams every day.
It is necessary to observe your whole LA consumption from all meals and resolve which of them to eat to keep up your LA ranges inside this vary. Whereas oatmeal is nutritionally richer than white rice, the latter incorporates no LA. Oatmeal does provide some minerals, although the quantities can fluctuate primarily based on its cultivation, they’re nonetheless comparatively minor.
Go for Natural Oat Merchandise
In an interview with the New York Submit,19 Olga Naidenko, vice chairman of science investigations on the EWG, suggested shoppers to go for natural oat merchandise, as they’re cultivated with out the applying of dangerous pesticides like chlormequat and glyphosate.
That will help you discover the cleanest meals, take into account downloading the EWG’s Wholesome Residing app. This useful resource furnishes evaluations for over 120,000 meals and private care gadgets. Merely scan the product along with your cellphone to get its score.
