Roundup in Organic Chickpeas Sold at National Retailer. One popular reason health conscious consumers prefer organic food is because it is believed to be free from Roundup weed killer.
Get that glyphosate outta my beans!
The chemical herbicide is used by farmers to treat crops. Its toxic ingredient glyphosate is contrary to organic eating.
Therefore, consumers were surprised and concerned to learn trace amounts of Roundup were found in organic chickpeas sold at Whole Foods stores. In addition, a low amount of glyphosate was also detected in hummus made from those same chickpea beans. For additional information on the story, click here.
Click here for more information on our Roundup lawyers.
Roundup Wind Drift Threatens Organic Chickpea Crop
The presence of the toxic chemical in these organic foods was attributed to possible wind drift occurring when farmers spray an adjacent or nearby field. Roundup is reported to have drifted between 100 yards up to 1 mile from point of spray. Therefore, farmers should take note of wind speeds, wind direction and humidity when spraying crops.
Chickpea Beans Targeted for Herbicide Spray
Farmers have long sought to contain weed growth around bean crops. As such, heavy use of herbicidal sprays has ignited concern among consumers about the safety of hummus. The recent report about Whole Foods stores is certainly not the first time a retailer’s chickpeas have exceeded the daily limit recommended for glyphosate consumption.
Roundup Contamination at Chickpea Processing Plants
Moreover, experts point out the food could have been contaminated at processing plants also treating non-organic foods. These dual purpose processing plants could have their equipment contaminated by glyphosate in non-organic foods.
A Call for Reform
Many countries have banned the use of Roundup on edible crops. However, the toxic sprays remain popular across the United States. With increasing attention being paid to the issue due to non-Hodgkin lymphoma lawsuits filed by famers and landscapers, regulatory action may be looming.
