Study Finds Pesticide Found In Cheerios And Quaker Oats Might Cause Fertility Issues

A new study has shaken the faith of consumers in food products claiming to be healthy and nutritious. Cheerios and Quaker Oats are largely consumed in American households with leading retailers marketing the products for it’s superior health benefits. However, scientists have tested and found a chemical that is linked to infertility, reproduction issues, and delayed puberty, among others. The study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology reported that 80% of Americans were exposed to chlormequat, a chemical banned for use in edible plants in the U.S., through the consumption of Quaker Oats and Cheerios. 

The Environmental Working Group stated that chlormequat is a plant growth regulator that is used to control plant size and growth in crops like oats, wheat, and barley. It is also called chlorocholine chloride. The salt is only registered for use in ornamental plants in greenhouses and nurseries. The major consumption of oat products has led to widespread concern about the implications of chlormequat exposure, particularly in children. As per a 2020 Statista report, 8.2 million Americans consumed 10 or more portions of Quaker Instant Oatmeal in a week. Therefore, it is easy to imagine the magnitude of health issues the chemical exposure may cause. 

Following the study, a spokesperson for the Cheerios manufacturer, General Mills, Mollie Wulff, said, “All our products adhere to all regulatory requirements. Food safety is always our top priority at General Mills, and we take care to ensure our food is prepared and packaged in the safest way possible." Whereas Quaker Foods reiterated their safety and quality standards. “We have a comprehensive food safety management system in place. We adhere to all regulatory guidelines to ensure the safest, highest quality products for our consumers,” the statement said. However, the EWG report flagged several Cheerios products for containing the chemical. “We detected the chemical in 92 percent of oat-based foods purchased in May 2023, including Quaker Oats and Cheerios,” the report stated. 

Regular Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats n Honey, and Frosted Cheerios were listed by the EWG in addition to Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar, and oat-based bars like Quaker Chewy Dark Chocolate Chunk. Exposure to chlormequat also impacts embryonic growth and adversely affects postnatal health, per the source. The researchers also studied urine samples, with 80% of them showing the presence of the chemical. This is concerning because chlormequat leaves the body within 24 hours, which suggests that people are consuming the chemical regularly. In 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency began permitting chlormequat residues in imported oats under the Trump Administration, per EWG. 

Residues were recovered from 13 non-organic oat-based cereals, with 11 of them containing levels higher than the amount considered safe for children’s health. Two years later, the EPA started allowing even higher levels of chlormequat residues. Chlormequat is a pesticide that is toxic in nature and primarily used for agricultural purposes. It is used in oat and grain crops to stop them from bending over for the convenience of harvesting. Meanwhile, Cheerios is considered a “favorite first finger food by moms,” per a now-deleted official tagline.