Lab Results Are In: Glyphosate Found In PediaSure Product Samples, Speculated To Be From GMO Soy, Corn Herbicide Treatments

Moms Across America, unable to find satisfactory independent studies of glyphosate and the food industry, took it upon themselves to pay for lab testing of a particular PediaSure product in search of the herbicide. In a matter of days, the organization raised thousands of dollars to pay for the laboratory testing that would determine if glyphosate was in the doctor-recommended drink.

Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide and is regularly applied to both landscaping and genetically modified crops. It is one of the chemical ingredients in Monsanto’s popular herbicide RoundUp, and, as Inquisitr just reported, has been implicated by an MIT researcher as linked to the growing cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Moms Across America already facilitated research that found what they called “high levels” of glyphosate in breast milk, urine, and water samples. Now, according to lab results performed by Microbe Inotech, glyphosate has been found in samples of a specialized PediaSure brand product.

According to the EPA, children are at greater risk from all pesticides, including herbicides like glyphosate.

“Children are at a greater risk for some pesticides for a number of reasons. Children’s internal organs are still developing and maturing and their enzymatic, metabolic, and immune systems may provide less natural protection than those of an adult. There are ‘critical periods’ in human development when exposure to a toxin can permanently alter the way an individual’s biological system operates. Children may be exposed more to certain pesticides because often they eat different foods than adults… Adverse effects of pesticide exposure range from mild symptoms of dizziness and nausea to serious, long-term neurological, developmental and reproductive disorders.”

EPA officials are not overly concerned about glyphosate residue on food and feed crops in general. According to the Genetic Literacy Project, which features a food security advisory board with ties to the biotech industry, glyphosate residue on foods is not a concern. A blog post on the project’s website reported that an “estimate of daily exposure that would not cause adverse effects throughout a lifetime, of 2 mg/kg/day has been proposed for glyphosate.” The residue of glyphosate found in PediaSure is nowhere near that level, and residue in foods from GMO crops is to be expected, according to government reports.

Moms Across America explained why they, along with Sustainable Pulse, decided to test PediaSure Enteral Nutritional Drink for glyphosate contamination. The nutritional supplement’s name and marketing literature indicates that it can be used as the sole source of sustenance for children who are unable to eat solid foods, and it is commonly used in feeding tubes in hospitalized children.

“[PediaSure] Enteral Nutritional Drink tested is loaded with GM corn syrup, soy, and sugar, which have been shown to cause inflammation, and are sprayed with [glyphosate] during the growing season and at harvest as a drying agent.”

This PediaSure enteral product, according to Special Care Medical, is “for children with special nutritional needs who may not be able to take all or any of their food by mouth — for example, children diagnosed with chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy.”

The press release explained the findings of the PediaSure sample testing:

“In the first ever testing of glyphosate herbicides in feeding tube liquid, Moms Across America has detected high levels in 30% of Pediasure Enteral Nutritional Drink samples tested. The shocking results included samples from the same batch which tested positive at levels above 75 ppb, which is 800 to 1110 times higher than has been shown to destroy gut bacteria in chickens.(1) An amount of only 50 ppt was shown to cause kidney, liver, and sex hormone changes in rats.(2)“

Oklahoma’s News On 6 brought Moms Across America’s glyphosate story to mainstream, commercial news. At the top of the story, a brazen statement, sure to be discounted by the agricultural and food industries, was highlighted.

“Some scientists believe that this case of detecting high levels of glyphosate residue in feeding tube liquid is appalling and with the evidence of bio-accumulation in human tissues, there is a dire need for long-term independent scientific testing and an official moratorium on glyphosate usage,” the story published by Tulsa’s News On 6 reported.

“More than half of food tested by the U.S. government for pesticide residues last year showed detectable levels of pesticides, though most were within levels the government considers to be safe,” NewsMax Health reported last month. The NewsMax report also indicated that the USDA did not test glyphosate residues during this most recent year because it is extremely expensive. Some health conscious parents are concerned over this alleged lack of oversight because it comes just after the EPA raised the tolerable levels of glyphosate allowed on many food crops.

Though the glyphosate study was commissioned by Moms Across America and Sustainable Pulse, it is sure to be dismissed as irrelevant by the industry. Henry Rowlands, the director of Sustainable Pulse, explained why he feels the glyphosate findings needed to be announced.

“The more data produced regarding the levels of glyphosate in our food, water and medicines the better. Even though this testing is not validated it does give a strong clue as to how ubiquitous glyphosate is in the U.S. food supply system. The question the EPA, USDA and all regulatory bodies worldwide should be asking themselves is are they willing to risk public health by relying on short-term industry sponsored safety studies on glyphosate and all other pesticides,” Rowlands said, according to a report from the Meridian Institute’s website.

Now that glyphosate is reportedly being found in specialized feeding supplements given to children like PediaSure Enteral Nutritional Drink, many concerned parents on social media are wondering where the herbicide might show up next and in what amounts.

[Photo via The Organic & Non-GMO Report on Facebook]