Processed meat is a bigger cancer concern than a weed-killing ingredient found in abundance on Midwestern plants – GNT NEWS

Chicago’s chief medical officer tried to address concerns about the high presence of a key weed-killing ingredient on produce across Illinois after data obtained by NBC News found that some of the highest levels of the chemical were recorded in Illinois and throughout the Midwest.

The chemical of concern is glyphosate, one of the main components of Roundup, the leading brand of weed killer.

While the study raised concerns about the potential effects of glyphosate and its presence in produce and other foods, Dr. Allison Arwady said other items in the store are a bigger cause for concern.

“If you’re worried about foods that cause cancer, I’m not so worried about your plants. I’m more worried about some of the meats, processed meats,” Arwady said.

Arwady’s statement refers to a World Health Organization Report 2015 who discovered the definitive link between processed meat and cancer. The same report also concluded that red meat is “probably carcinogenic to humans”.

Arwady alluded to the close ties of Chicago cuisine and the frequent inclusion of processed meats, and emphasized that regular consumption of processed meats increases the risk.

The herbicide has come under increasing scrutiny after the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015. Since then, thousands of cancer lawsuits have been filed. lawsuits involving the chemical, and Bayer said in 2020 it would pay up to $10.9 billion to settle lawsuits.

On Tuesday, during a Facebook Live session, Chicago Chief Medical Officer Allison Arwady noted that while international agencies have found a potential link between glyphosate and cancer, she noted that the EPA has not found it to be carcinogenic.

“I would just say if you’re someone who uses weed killers, follow the directions on the bottom, like they’re there to make sure you know if you need to wear gloves or if you need to dilute. It’s mostly about people who have a lot of exposure to actual pesticides,” Arwady said.

Arwady added that while she doesn’t see the presence of glyphosate as “zero risk,” those who are concerned should look at organic produce, where the use of pesticides is not allowed in order for the product to be labeled organic.

Monsanto first developed glyphosate in the 1970s. The weed killer has been sold in more than 160 countries and is widely used in the US

Bayer, which bought Monsanto of St. Louis in 2018, previously said that all government regulators who have looked into the issue have rejected a link between cancer and glyphosate. Monsanto attacked the international research agency’s opinion as extraordinary. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate is safe for humans when used according to label directions.

NBC News analyzed data from US Geological Survey surrounding the use of glyphosate in agriculture, with the weed killer used on everything from corn to soybeans to fruit and more. In fact, data shows that nearly half of all produce in the US is sprayed with a weed killer that contains the chemical.

According to the report, the data shows that Iowa and Illinois, known for growing corn and soybean products, account for 15 percent of national use. And several districts in the Chicago area had levels among the highest in the country.

This included counties such as LaSalle, DeKalb and Grundy, along with several other counties in central and northern Illinois. Other counties in the Chicago area that also had higher levels included Kankakee, Kendall and McHenry.

Other key findings in the report include that more than 55 million people live in counties with above-average use of the chemical. Lake County, Colorado, had the highest rate of use of any U.S. county, with nearly 2,000 pounds sprayed per square mile.