The Food & Drug Administration has test results from a probable cancer-causing chemical that’s been popping up in everyday foods like breakfast cereals and granola bars – but is withholding the results, says Sen. Chuck Schumer.
“The federal government is, in fact, investigating this chemical,” Schumer said Sunday, demanding the FDA share the results.
The chemical — called glyphosate and sold to farmers and school ground keepers by Monsanto as a weed killer called Roundup – has been on the FDA’s radar for at least two years, he said.
Scientists with the Environmental Working Group last week said they found unacceptably high traces of the herbicide in virtually every oat cereal, oatmeal and granola bars for sale in the United States.
Schumer said Freedom of Information requests to the FDA revealed the agency has been testing food samples for the weed killer, but is sitting on the results.
In 2016, an FDA spokesman also confirmed the agency study of the chemical to media.
Schumer said Americans shouldn’t have to wait any longer for the results.
“I’m here today to ask them to provide us all with an update on their work so that concerned parents and consumers can get the answers they seek,” he said.