Traces of a controversial chemical have been found in several varieties of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
Glyphosate is the main ingredient in the popular Roundup brand weed killer, and The Organic Consumers Association confirmed yesterday that it was found in 10 out of 11 B&J flavour samples.
The flavours available in Britain that tested positive were; Peanut Butter Cup, Vanilla, Phish Food, Half Baked, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
As for American flavours that also contained it? Peanut Butter Cookie, The Tonight Dough and Americone Dream - while Cherry Garcia was the only one that didn't.
But don't start panic-purging your fridge just yet – the levels of glyphosate found were way below the safe ceiling as set by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to The New York Times, an average adult would have to eat 290,000 servings of ice cream a day to hit the unsafe zone.
So how concerned do you need to be? The OCA is one of several consumer groups that has been working to raise awareness of glyphosate in food recently, after some research linked it to an increased risk of disease. An agency of the World Health Organization concluded earlier this year that the chemical "probably" could cause cancer, contradicting earlier studies which had declared glyphosate to be safe.
Glyphosate is often used in genetically engineered crops like corn and soy, and according to a Ben & Jerry's spokesman, the company is working to ensure that its ingredients do not come from GMO sources. None of its plant-based ingredients come from genetically engineered crops, and the company is reportedly working on a cost-effective way for its dairy suppliers to use non-GMO feed.
"We're working to transition away from GMO as far away as we can get," said Rob Michalak, global director of social mission at Ben & Jerry's. "But then these tests come along, and we need to better understand where the glyphosate they're finding is coming from. Maybe it's from something that's not even in our supply chain, and so we're missing it."
So while the occasional bowl (or y'know, pint) of Ben & Jerry's probably isn't going to harm you, but maybe stick to Cherry Garcia if you're nervous.
