In a pilot examine1,2,3 carried out by the Environmental Working Group and revealed within the February 15, 2024, problem of the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, findings revealed that 80% of Americans examined optimistic for chlormequat chloride, an agricultural chemical used as a pesticide and plant progress regulator.4
Moreover, the chemical was detected in 92% of oat-based meals examined, together with standard manufacturers resembling Quaker Oats and Cheerios. As reported by the EWG:5
“The groundbreaking analysis of chlormequat in the bodies of people in the U.S. rings alarm bells, because the chemical is linked to reproductive and developmental problems in animal studies, suggesting the potential for similar harm to humans.”
EPA Considers Expanding Chlormequat Use in Crops
In the U.S., chlormequat chloride is presently solely registered to be used as a plant progress regulator (PGR) in ornamentals, however the Environmental Protection Agency lately proposed to broaden the registration to barley, oat, triticale (a hybrid cereal grain derived from the crossbreeding of wheat and rye) and wheat as effectively, to offer farmers one other software to extend yields.6 As defined by the EPA, chlormequat:7
“… works to regulate plant dimension 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 serious manufacturing problem.
Lodging can severely restrict grain yield and harvestability and have detrimental results on grain high quality. As a PGR, chlormequat chloride utility decreases the peak of the grain plant stem, leading to decreased lodging and doubtlessly elevated grain yield.”
Doing so might come at a price to customers’ well being, nevertheless. While the EPA claims “There are no dietary, residential, or aggregate … risks of concern,”8 the EWG9 cites proof displaying in any other case.
Chlormequat’s Toxic Effects Evident in Animal Studies
According to the EWG, historic and lately revealed animal research have demonstrated:10
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Reproductive declines in pigs raised on chlormequat-treated grains; feminine pigs had disrupted estrus biking and problem mating |
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Decreased fertilization capability of sperm in male mice |
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Reduced sperm motility in male rats |
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Delayed onset of puberty, decreased weights of male reproductive organs and decreased testosterone ranges in male rats |
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Dysregulated fetal progress of the pinnacle and bones |
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Dysregulated metabolism |
Chlormequat has additionally been proven to have an effect on the endocrine programs of animals, though the precise mechanism remains to be unclear. Previous research recommend chlormequat doesn’t act like most different endocrine disrupting chemical substances. For instance, it doesn’t use estrogen or androgen receptors and doesn’t alter aromatase exercise.
Instead, researchers have advised it might have an effect on the endocrine system by altering steroid biosynthesis and inflicting endoplasmic reticulum stress.11 As famous by EWG,12 “Although these studies focus only on the chemical’s potential effects on animals, they raise questions about whether it could also harm humans.”
Chlormequat Exposure Is on the Rise
As present testing signifies, people are already encountering chlormequat by meals, primarily in imported grains. The EPA’s determination to authorize the importation of grains handled with chlormequat in 201813 has contributed to this publicity.
Expanding its utility as a plant progress regulator within the U.S. to embody staple grains would evidently heighten publicity ranges, doubtlessly resulting in important adversarial 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 recommend that publicity to chlormequat can scale back fertility and hurt the growing fetus at doses decrease than these utilized by regulatory companies to set allowable every day consumption ranges.
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 enhance 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.”
Continual Exposure Indicated by Data
The researchers additionally spotlight that in urine samples collected from people within the U.Okay. and Sweden, chlormequat was recognized in almost 100% of contributors, with frequencies and concentrations notably surpassing these of metabolites from different pesticides resembling chlorpyrifos, pyrethroids, thiabendazole, and mancozeb. This means that people are most likely ingesting greater 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 determine the presence of chlormequat in human serum and breast milk has not been carried out, the authors emphasize that “chemical substances related to reproductive hurt in serum and milk have vital implications for exposures throughout being pregnant and to infants.”
Chlormequat has a half-life within the physique of about two to a few 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.
In phrases of 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.
High Levels Also Found in Food 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 May 2023.
All however two of the 25 nonorganic oat-based merchandise had detectable ranges of chlormequat. The most 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 could rise within the coming years. In the U.S., chlormequat is presently solely allowed in imported oat and wheat merchandise, however home agricultural makes use of on non-organic crops are presently beneath overview by the U.S. EPA.
It is feasible 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 greater ranges of publicity for the U.S. basic inhabitants.
Current chlormequat concentrations in urine from this examine and others recommend that particular person pattern donors have been uncovered to chlormequat at ranges a number of orders of magnitude beneath 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 Food Safety Authority (0.04 mg/kg bw/day).
However, we word that revealed toxicological research on chlormequat recommend reevaluation of those security thresholds could also be warranted. For occasion, 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 Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of 5 mg/kg that was used to derive the U.S. EPA reference dose, precipitated altered fetal progress in addition to metabolism and physique composition in neonatal mice.
Additionally, the regulatory thresholds don’t take into account the adversarial results of mixtures of chemical substances that 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 normally populations of Europe and the U.S.”
EWG Opposes Plan to Expand Use of Chlormequat
In gentle of its discoveries, the EWG strongly opposes the EPA’s proposal to allow the appliance of chlormequat on domestically grown oats, barley, wheat and triticale.
Alexis M. Temkin, the principal creator 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 extra investigation into the matter and urges the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to include chlormequat into its yearly pesticide monitoring of grains.
“The Environmental Protection Agency needs to fully consider the potential risks to children’s health from chlormequat exposure and reconsider their recent decisions to allow chlormequat to be present in children’s foods,” Temkin informed Newsweek.16
Other organizations have additionally voiced opposition, together with the Public Interest Research 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 12 months, PIRG wrote:18
“Research 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 fully secure — particularly since we all know we will 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 larger harvest isn’t well worth the threat to our well being.”
Oatmeal Has a Metabolic Poison: Linoleic Acid (LA)
Like most grains, aside from white rice, they comprise linoleic acid (LA). Although it is a small quantity, about 1g per cup of oatmeal, it might accumulate over time. Ideally, it is best to intention to maintain your LA consumption beneath 2g per day, however definitely beneath 5 grams every day.
It’s vital to watch your complete LA consumption from all meals and resolve which of them to eat to keep up your LA ranges inside this vary. While 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.
Opt for Organic Oat Products
In an interview with the New York Post,19 Olga Naidenko, vp of science investigations on the EWG, suggested customers to go for natural oat merchandise, as they’re cultivated with out the appliance of dangerous pesticides like chlormequat and glyphosate.
To allow you to discover the cleanest meals, take into account downloading the EWG’s Healthy Living app. This useful resource furnishes evaluations for over 120,000 meals and private care objects. Simply scan the product along with your cellphone to get its ranking.