Glyphosate is the herbicide sold for decades by Monsanto, now Bayer, under the brand name Roundup. A carcinogenic chemical such as glyphosate does not belong in food – especially nutritious foods that are part of a healthy diet. Prime members save even more, 10% off select sales and more. Everything is popped into the food processor and pulsed into deliciousness. In 1997, the EPA increased the allowable tolerance for glyphosate in chickpeas from 200 ppb to 5,000 ppb. EWG’s benchmark for total glyphosate consumption is 10 micrograms per day. 2 The first test of a sample of Harris Teeter Organics dry chickpeas was 21,454 ppb. The EPA’s glyphosate tolerance is based on toxicity studies in laboratory animals. ND = None detected; the laboratory limit of detection for glyphosate was 2 ppb. Samples of hummus and chickpeas with the highest glyphosate concentrations were store-brand products from Harris Teeter and Whole Foods Market stores. Despite the presence of glyphosate in some organic products, they remain a better choice for reducing glyphosate exposure from chickpeas and hummus. Previous tests by EWG and other public interest groups have found glyphosate in popular breakfast cereals and other foods American adults and children love to eat. In 2016, a group of 94 international scientists published a study criticizing the EFSA decision and calling on the agency to adapt the IARC cancer classification for glyphosate. The increase was fueled by soaring consumer demand for hummus, chickpeas and other chickpea-based foods. All samples were purchased by EWG researchers online or at major food retailers in the Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco metropolitan areas, including Aldi, Costco, Giant, Harris Teeter, Safeway, ShopRite, Target, Trader Joes, Walmart and Whole Foods grocery stores. Offers are specific to store listed above and limited to in-store. This calculation yields a maximum concentration of approximately 160 ppb, our benchmark. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, high levels of vitamins A, E, and C, folate, magnesium, iron and potassium, as well as aids to weight control and reduced cholesterol. Samples of hummus and chickpeas with the highest glyphosate concentrations were store-brand products from Harris Teeter and Whole Foods Market stores. The average of the two tests was 4,858 ppb. A recent study in Germany found that individuals who consumed pulses, including lentils and peas, had higher levels of glyphosate in their urine than those who did not eat those foods. A second test was conducted of more chickpeas from the same sample, resulting in a level of 13,982. In 2019, EWG petitioned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add glyphosate to its national biomonitoring program, a step needed to determine how widespread glyphosate exposure is in Americans. According to EWG analysis of data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the number of U.S. acres dedicated to chickpeas more than quadrupled from 2015 to 2018, growing from 200,000 to more than 800,000 acres. It excludes meat, dairy, eggs, and fish. * This product sample was below the limit of quantification of 5 ppb. Glyphosate is used on chickpeas, beans, lentils and peas for weed control and as a pre-harvest drying agent, or desiccant, to facilitate harvesting. Glyphosate use is not permitted on organic crops, so these samples may have been contaminated by the chemical drifting from nearby conventional crop fields, where it was likely sprayed as a pre-harvest drying agent. *** This product sample was tested twice. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Ratings for more than 120,000 food and personal care products, now at your fingertips.Download EWG’s Healthy Living App Today! Tests were conducted by Anresco Laboratories of San Francisco, which is accredited by the state of California. Shop weekly sales and Amazon Prime member deals. Grab a bite to eat. Source: EWG, from tests by Anresco Laboratories of products purchased between January and March 2020. Environmental Working Group. Like other plant-based sources of protein, hummus and chickpeas, as well as other beans, offer considerable nutritional benefits. EWG calls on food manufacturers and grocery stores to avoid glyphosate in their products by sourcing beans, peas, lentils and grains that are not treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant. EWG also commissioned tests of 16 conventional and three organic samples of canned or dried varieties of lentils and black, navy, pinto and Great Northern beans. Bag, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Pasta Sauce, Tomato Basil, 25 Ounce, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Canned Beans, Black Beans, 15 Ounce, 365 Everyday Value, Organic Apple Sauce, Unsweetened (6 - 4 oz bowls), 24 oz, Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Shop weekly sales and Amazon Prime member deals at your local Whole Foods Market store. Find a Whole Foods Market store near you. This includes vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts/seeds. Among different hummus brands, six of nine conventional Sabra samples tested exceeded EWG’s benchmark. Yet again, the unnecessary use of this chemical puts parents in the unacceptable position of trying to provide healthy foods for their children while also looking for ways to avoid a probable carcinogen. By law, organic farmers are not allowed to apply glyphosate or other pesticides to grow and harvest crops. Contact Us | Beans, peas and legumes are a major source of protein for Hispanic Americans. In our tests, four conventional chickpea products had no detectable levels of glyphosate, showing that it’s possible to grow, harvest and market bean products without a side serving of glyphosate. EWG’s research on beans and hummus builds on EWG’s tests of oats and oat-based products for glyphosate. To translate the total daily amount into the concentration of glyphosate in a ready-to-eat food such as hummus, EWG’s maximum daily amount of 10 micrograms is divided by the approximately 60-gram weight of a four-tablespoon serving. Chickpeas are also used as ingredients in baby food, both store-bought and homemade. CAVA’s chef-crafted dips and spreads are available at Whole Foods … Over one-third of the conventional hummus samples exceeded EWG’s health benchmark for glyphosate in hummus of 160 parts per billion, or ppb. Download EWG’s Healthy Living App Today! The EU’s current maximum residue level for glyphosate in dry chickpeas is 10,000 ppb, twice the EPA’s legal limit. And easy too. In 2016, tests in Canada commissioned by the nonprofit groups Environmental Defence and Equiterre found levels of glyphosate in hummus and canned chickpeas similar to those detected in EWG’s tests. Four samples exceeded the EWG benchmark for daily consumption in a single serving, as listed on the product label: a sample of dried lentils, containing 544 ppb of glyphosate, and three samples of pinto beans, two canned and one dry. Keto-cauliflower and traditional chickpea hummus, savory and keto-friendly sunflower spreads. EWG has reported this product to the National Organic Program of the Department of Agriculture for investigation. Disclaimer: Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. One finding was both surprising and alarming. Overall, 13 hummus samples exceeded EWG’s benchmark for glyphosate: four samples of Sabra Classic Hummus; Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus; Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus; two samples of Whole Foods Market Original Hummus; Whole Foods Market organic-label Original Hummus; Cava Traditional Hummus; Haig’s Delicacies Spicy Hummus; and two samples of Harris Teeter Fresh Foods Market Traditional Artisan Hummus. In 2012 Monsanto asked the European Food Safety Authority, or EFSA, to increase the tolerance for glyphosate on lentils to accommodate the practice of desiccation in the U.S. and Canada. Americans should not stop eating hummus and other chickpea products. EWG will continue to test both conventional and organic beans and bean products for glyphosate, to protect public health and keep up the momentum to phase out glyphosate use as a pre-harvest desiccant. In March, the Trump administration announced the EPA will cut back on enforcement of regulations during the coronavirus pandemic. The methods limit of quantification for glyphosate is 5 parts per billion. Pre-harvest spraying can lead to high levels of glyphosate in the foods sold to consumers. The health-food staple hummus and the chickpeas it is made from can be contaminated with high levels of glyphosate, a weedkilling chemical linked to cancer, according to independent laboratory tests commissioned by EWG. Of the 43 conventional, or non-organic, chickpea and chickpea-based samples tested, more than 90 percent had detectable levels of glyphosate. To extract glyphosate from the product samples, the lab performed a liquid-liquid extraction, followed by a solid phase extraction. The best foods for diabetics are low-carb, low-sugar, and high in fiber, digestion-slowing macronutrients like healthy fats and protein, and high in flavor. EWG also tested 12 samples of organic hummus and six samples of organic chickpeas. UPDATE, July 21, 2020: Report updated with data from an additional round of tests commissioned by EWG. Over one-third of the 33 conventional hummus samples exceeded EWG’s health-based benchmark for daily consumption, based on a 60-gram serving of hummus (about four tablespoons). One sample of hummus had nearly 15 times as much glyphosate as EWG’s benchmark, and one of two tests from a sample of conventional dry chickpeas exceeded even the Environmental Protection Agency’s too-permissive legal standard. The average of the two tests was 17,718 ppb. We found glyphosate in 68 percent of those samples. A recent study from Montana State University reported that organic chickpea farmers can combat weeds with practices such as shallow tillage and increased seeding rate. CAVA is a growing Mediterranean culinary brand with a flavorful and healthy fast-casual restaurant experience featuring customizable & craveable salads, grain bowls, pitas, and house-made juices. Commonly consumed by adults, hummus in snack packs has also become a popular addition to kids’ lunches. Download EWG’s Healthy Living App Today! 365 by Whole Foods Market, Frozen Farm-Raised Seafood Value Pack, Atlantic Salmon Fillets, 32 Ounce Among different hummus brands, six of nine conventional Sabra samples tested exceeded EWG’s benchmark. It is based on outdated research, does not reflect recent studies, does not consider the carcinogenic activity of glyphosate – despite increased evidence – and does not include an additional tenfold children’s health safety factor. As the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council reported, crops can be dried naturally in the field before harvest. The average of the test results is 4,858 ppb. Other samples of the Harris Teeter organic dry chickpeas had very low levels of glyphosate, just above the lab’s limit of quantification, which was 5 ppb. In 2018, the USDA collected more than 500 chickpea samples for pesticide tests as part of its Pesticide Data Program. It is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or IARC, as a probable human carcinogen, and by the State of California as a chemical known to cause cancer. Promotions, discounts, and offers available in … All Rights Reserved. * This sample was below of the limit of quantification of 5 ppb. The lab’s extraction and measurement methods are modified versions of methodology published by government agenciesa,b, and in the peer-reviewed literature.c,d. Clean, simple, ingredients. The tables in this report have been updated to include results from the new samples. Ratings for more than 120,000 food and personal care products, now at your fingertips. 1 The first test of a sample of Harris Teeter dry chickpeas was 4,423 ppb. Lilly's Foods - makers of plant-based dips and spreads. Reprint Permission Information. In 2019, tests commissioned by Friends of the Earth detected glyphosate in 100 percent of 27 samples of dried pinto beans, with an average concentration of 509 ppb. based in … Get groceries delivered and more. By Alexis M. Temkin, Ph.D., Toxicologist and Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., VP for Science Investigations. ln 2018, the nonprofit Moms Across America tested 10 hummus samples, detecting low levels of glyphosate, with the highest concentration of 30 ppb.