Glyphosate in Oats: What the Latest Testing Shows

Is There Glyphosate in Oats?

Yes, in most conventional oat products, but much less than before. In testing published in 2023, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found glyphosate in every conventional oat sample it tested, yet the highest levels were roughly 80% lower than in 2018. Organic oat products tested low or had none detected.

This article updates our 2018 report on glyphosate in cereal and oat products with EWG's newer test results.

What EWG's Latest Oat Testing Found

EWG tested 24 samples of 14 conventional oat-based products and published the results in April 2023. Glyphosate showed up in every conventional sample, but 7 of 24 (about 29%) were above EWG's health benchmark of 160 parts per billion (ppb). In 2018, most of the samples were above the benchmark.

Two numbers help put these results in context:

• EWG's benchmark: 160 ppb. EWG sets a limit of 0.01 mg of glyphosate a day, which works out to 160 ppb in a 60-gram serving. It's an advocacy group's benchmark, not a legal limit.
• EPA's legal limit for oats: 30 parts per million, which is 30,000 ppb. Every sample tested was far below it.

Source: EWG full test results (PDF). Products are sorted by their highest sample. Each number is one sample, and results can vary by lot.

Baby oat cereals

EWG also tested oat cereals, purees, and snacks for babies for the first time. No glyphosate was found in nine conventional Gerber oatmeal products. Beech-Nut Oatmeal Whole Grain Baby Cereal had the highest level among baby products (9.8 to 160 ppb).

A second chemical, chlormequat

Seven samples tested for both chemicals contained glyphosate and chlormequat, a plant growth regulator that has affected development and reproduction in animal studies. Human research on chlormequat is still limited.

How Glyphosate Levels Changed Since 2018

All four products tested in both years dropped sharply. Cheerios and Quaker Simply Granola now fall below EWG's benchmark, while Quaker Oatmeal Squares and Quaker Old Fashioned Oats are still above it. These are small numbers of samples, so treat them as a trend, not a guarantee for the box in your pantry. For the full 2018 results, see our original report.

Why Glyphosate Ends Up in Oats

Most glyphosate in oats comes from spraying it just before harvest. Some growers use it as a drying agent so the whole crop is ready to harvest at once, which leaves more residue on the grain than spraying weeds earlier in the season.

That practice is changing:

• Food companies. Several companies, including Kellogg's, pledged to buy oats from growers who don't spray glyphosate before harvest. EWG credits pledges like this for the drop in levels.
• The European Union. When the EU renewed glyphosate's approval in November 2023, it banned its use as a pre-harvest drying agent.
• The United States. Pre-harvest use is still allowed. The legal limit for oats, 30 ppm, was set in 2008.

Organic oats can't be grown with glyphosate. Small amounts can still reach them through spray drift from nearby fields or shared processing equipment, which is why a few organic samples show low levels.

How to Choose Lower-Glyphosate Oats

Oats are still a smart choice. A serving gives you beta-glucan fiber, which supports healthy cholesterol levels already in the normal range and steadier blood sugar after meals. These steps help you keep the benefits while lowering glyphosate:

1. Choose organic oats. In every round of EWG testing, organic oat products tested lowest or had none detected.
2. Look for a residue-free certification. Some brands are independently tested and labeled "Glyphosate Residue Free."
3. Pick plain oats over heavily processed cereals. The highest 2023 levels were in sweetened, oat-based cereals. Plain rolled or steel-cut oats also let you control added sugar.
4. Rotate your grains. Mix in quinoa, buckwheat, millet, or brown rice, so no single crop makes up most of your grain intake.
5. Eat plenty of produce and fiber. Fiber, fruits, and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, support your body's natural detoxification pathways in the liver and kidneys.