Everything You Need To Know About the Glyphosate Found in Bread

You've probably heard of sourdough bread, white bread, and even rye bread, but have you ever heard of glyphosate bread? No, it's not a label you can look for at any grocery store, but instead, the nickname being given to several different types of bread thanks to a chemical that was found during testing by the state of Florida.

The Florida Department of Health routinely tests food sold in the state for the presence of chemicals or toxins so that it can update Floridians.

A test of eight bread products revealed that there were quantities of the chemical glyphosate, an ingredient commonly found in certain products used to control weeds.

More than half of the breads tested came back positive for the concerning ingredient. But what is glyphosate bread? And do people who live outside of the state of Florida need to worry about it? Keep reading to learn more about the Department of Health tests, including which national brands of bread came back positive.

Glyphosate bread refers to the breads that tested positive for amounts of glyphosate, according to a statement shared to Florida state Governor Ron Desantis' website.

The bread was tested as part of The Healthy Florida First initiative, which First Lady Casey DeSantis is a champion of. “The results from the Florida Department of Health’s analysis of bread testing results show troubling levels of glyphosate," she was quoted as saying in the statement.

Florida's First Lady went on to say that this testing is done so that Floridians can make "informed decisions" when it comes to the foods they eat and feed their families.

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, of the eight breads tested, six came back positive for glyphosate, including:

• Nature's Own Butter Bread and Perfectly Crafted White
• Dave's Killer Bread White Done Right and 21 Whole Grain
• Wonder Bread Classic White
• Sara Lee Honey Wheat

According to WebMD, glyphosate is considered a nonselective herbicide. This means that it kills all plants and grasses it's applied to, and it accomplishes this by restricting the plant's ability to make the proteins they need in order to sustain themselves and grow.

It has been used widely in our country since 1974, and it's used on everything from lawns to major agriculture operations. However, when it comes to the safety of those who are exposed to it, the jury may still be out.

That's because there are some studies that say that prolonged exposure to the chemical may be linked to cancer, while other studies say that there is no risk to humans when it is used as suggested by the manufacturer.

Then there are studies that say that glyphosate could have impacts on your liver and kidneys, and can even cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It's probably this lack of certainty about the effects of glyphosate that have Florida health officials concerned.

However, if you'd like to err on the side of caution and avoid it, WebMD suggests sticking to organic foods, and carefully washing any foods or veggies before you eat them.