Topline
Around 80% of Americans have been exposed to the plant pesticide chlormequat, which causes fertility and growth issues in animals, according to a new study published Thursday, though other studies found it caused no affect on fertility and the Environmental Protection Agency said there were no adverse risks in humans.
Key Facts
Around four out of five Americans are being exposed to chlormequat chloride, a “highly toxic agricultural chemical” linked to fertility problems and birth issues in animals, according to an Environmental Working Group study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology on Thursday, with the EWG saying the issues in animals suggests “the potential for similar harm to humans.”
Chlormequat exposure in rats also resulted in reduced sperm motility, decreased male testosterone levels, delayed onset of puberty and decreased weights of male reproductive organs, according to the study.
The study of Americans examined urine samples between 2017 and 2023, and found the number of participants with concentrations of chlormequat in their urine increased by more than 20% during that time frame from 69% in 2017 to 90% in 2023, suggesting consumer exposure is on the rise.
The chemical is found in many oat-based foods: the EWG tested 13 oat-based foods like Cheerios and Quaker Old Fashioned Oats and detected higher levels than deemed safe by the group in 11 foods, according to a 2023 report—Forbes has reached out to General Mills, which makes Cheerios, and PepsiCo, which makes Quaker Oats, for comment.
Chlormequat is only approved for use in the U.S. in ornamental plants like flowers, but the EPA began allowing a certain amount of chlormequat on imported oats and other foods in 2018 and increased the amount in 2020, which is how Americans end up consuming it, according to the EWG’s 2023 report.
It’s used as a pesticide in plants to control plant size by blocking the hormones that stimulate plant growth before they bloom, according to the EPA.
Chlormequat only stays in the body for 24 hours, so the high levels found in the test population suggest “regular exposure,” according to the EWG; the group recommends buying and consuming organic oat products, which aren’t grown with synthetic pesticides like chlormequat, to reduce exposure to the chemical.
Crucial Quote
“The federal government has a vital role in ensuring that pesticides are adequately monitored, studied and regulated,” Alexis Temkin, lead author of the study and a senior toxicologist with the EWG, said in a statement. “Yet the EPA continues to abdicate its responsibility to protect children from the potential health harms of toxic chemicals like chlormequat in food.”
Key Background
Though research needs to be done on chlormequat’s risk in humans, there have been several studies that looked into the effects on animals. Researchers studied the effects of chlormequat on rat embryos and found the chemical causes birth defects such as an increase in head and body size, according to a 2020 Toxicology study. Female pigs given chlormequat-treated grains had difficulty mating compared to those on a chlormequat-free diet, according to an International Journal of Andrology study. Male mice who were exposed to the chemical had a decreased fertilization rate of over 40%.
Contra
Several studies didn’t find any impacts on reproduction in female mice or male pigs, or reduced fertilization rates in male mice exposed to chlormequat. The EPA proposed allowing the use of chlormequat in oats and other grains in 2023. Before proposing its use in grains, the EPA assessed whether exposure to chlormequat had any adverse effects in humans, and it found no dietary, residential or aggregate risks. Grains are susceptible to lodging—the bending and breakage of grain stems—which can negatively affect grain yield and harvestability. Chlormequat decreases stem height, which reduces lodging and potentially increases yield, according to the EPA. Chlormequat decreased plant height up to 29% and increased grain yields by 4% when used on wheat, according to a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
