Roundup (glyphosate) has been in the news for many years. The World Health Organization called it a probable carcinogen in 2015. How much is too much? Any? The 700 ppb the EPA says is fine? A quick Internet search shows various U.S. nonprofit and government groups saying the limit is anywhere from 160 ppb to 1,000 ppb. It seems nobody really understands the long-term effects, or maybe they don't want to disrupt farming by outlawing it.
Glyphosate has been found in your drinking water. Heck, it's been found in rainwater.
Oh yeah, alcohol is also a known carcinogen.
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| WW glyphosate use by year in millions of pounds |
Various agencies have done risk assessments, including looking at maximum daily intake for an average adult. California says it's 1.1 mg for the average sized adult before there's even a small risk of it causing cancer.
A few years ago, a nonprofit research group manned by college students (CALPIRG) tested a few wines and beers for glyphosate. The highlight of that research is that the macro wines and beers have it. Even the organic ones had a small amount because of water and air contamination.
Wines and ppb of glyphosate
- Sutter Home Merlot 51
- Beringer Moscato 42
- Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon 32
- Inkarri Organic Malbec 5
- Frey Organic Natural White Blend 5
Takeaways:
None are in scary territory based on current knowledge. The large scale producers definitely contain it. Even the organic wine have a small amount because glyphosate is everywhere. Based on current knowledge, there doesn't appear to be enough glyphosate in wine to be a health concern.
If you want to limit your exposure, stick to organic, biodynamic or regenerative farmed vineyards. Some small vineyard owners practice organic -- even though they don't say it. A small operation maybe hasn't done the paperwork to be listed as organic for various reasons. The best bet is to email and ask about chemicals used in their vineyards. It seems the small family ones that have their own vineyard where they live are less likely to use potentially dangerous chemicals.
If you're really concerned about you or your children ingesting glyphosate, take a look at breakfast cereals, as the ones tested show levels of about ten times more than wine. That is, before you worry about glyphosate in your wine, you'd better take a look at other farm products.
It took over 30 years of arguing before DDT, an agricultural insecticide, was banned in the 1970s. One of the main arguments against the ban was that there was nothing to replace it. Not sure what it will take to get rid of glyphosate.
Disclaimer: I am not a scientist. I can only go by what I've read that I believe to be from reliable sources.
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