Weedkiller Unlikely to be Found in Hummus
The Claim
Weedkiller is in a range of hummus brands commonly found in U.S. supermarkets and stores.
News posted on
Emerging story
On March 11, 2021, the health food website Food Babe posted an article warning its readers about weedkiller in hummus. The source claimed that a recent study had discovered the chemical glyphosate in 90% of hummus brands, such as those produced by Sabra and Whole Foods. The article went on to explain that glyphosate is the active ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup and that it causes cancer among other health conditions.
This article has, to date, gained over 2,000 shares on Facebook and been discussed on other social media sites.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation has discovered that Food Babe’s source is not a recent study. Instead, this news comes from a July 2020 Environmental Working Group study. This study indeed claimed that it had detected glyphosate in 90% of hummus brands. However, the study is not reliable.
News sources have previously highlighted that the Environmental Working Group’s methodologies are flawed and that the group is funded by the organic foods industry. Other sources have stated that when experts have reviewed the Environmental Working Group’s work, the findings are inaccurate.
In conclusion, the Environmental Working Group study is not trustworthy. It may be true that the group discovered glyphosate in hummus, but our analysis was unable to find any reliable verification of the research.
