Read how Kansas wheat farmers use glyphosate here!
Background
A recent blog post revisits the Samsel and Seneff publication from 2013 alleging glyphosate residues are responsible for the recent surge in Celiac disease. Specifically, that residues from Roundup “commonly” sprayed on wheat in the U.S. pre-harvest causes gluten intolerance. This report has been repeatedly debunked (see Key Points) and the claim that GMOs are somehow linked to celiac disease has been challenged by the Celiac Disease Foundation itself.
The claims that Roundup agricultural herbicides are commonly doused on wheat crops a few days before harvest is not accurate. It is not routine for U.S. wheat producers to use Roundup, or other formulations of glyphosate, for pre-harvest applications. Although Roundup is labeled for pre-harvest applications at least 14 days before harvest as a desiccant or in order to control perennial weeds, it is uncommon for U.S. producers to make that application. As a point of clarification, in Canada it is more common for label-approved pre-harvest applications of Roundup brand herbicides due to the short growing season.
Key Points
- The blog and accusations circulating on Facebook and in social media are based on a 2013 Seneff study that has been debunked repeatedly. Glyphosate does not cause celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
- Check out these resources for more information:
- Do genetically modified foods cause gluten allergies? Genetic Literacy Project
- Glyphosate does not cause celiac disease, GMOAnswers.com
- Steve Savage Addresses Samsel and Seneff study, “Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance,” GMOAnswers.com
- The curious case of the paper that isn’t, Beyond the Rows blog
- Spraying Roundup on U.S. wheat crops prior to harvest is an uncommon practice; furthermore, according to label directions, wheat farmers must wait to harvest a crop until a minimum of 14 days after a glyphosate-based application.
- Spraying Roundup over the top of wheat is uncommon, Peterson Farm Bros. Facebook post
- The Truth about Toxic Wheat, Prairie Californian
- Grain of Truth? Snopes.com
- Claims similar to these have been addressed in the past on GMO Answers.
- Is Roundup safe for human consumption in trace amounts in food? GMOAnswers.com
- Does Roundup impact the human stomach? GMOAnswers.com