The controversy surrounding glyphosate in the food industry remains highly divisive. Some claim that this herbicide may lead to cancer in humans, while scientific opinions were split following a four-day meeting held by the Environmental Protection Agency last year. In 2015, the World Health Organization designated glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic,” but a subsequent report from WHO and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations suggested that the chemical is unlikely to pose a cancer risk from food residues. Nevertheless, legal battles concerning the health risks associated with glyphosate are ongoing in various courts. Earlier this year, a California court determined that the herbicide should be labeled as a potential cancer hazard.
This protracted debate over glyphosate has prompted numerous organizations, including OCA, Food Democracy Now, and The Detox Project, to test food products for chemical residues. To date, these groups have not identified any significant findings that would raise health alarms, yet the results have spurred calls for boycotts and regulatory changes. Ben & Jerry’s response to these testing outcomes highlights the company’s business ethos. The Unilever-owned ice cream brand, known for its commitment to fresh, wholesome, and natural ingredients, acknowledged the possibility that glyphosate was detected in their products. They expressed a desire to investigate further and understand the underlying issues.
This approach is a savvy response from Ben & Jerry’s. By not outright denying the test results, the company avoided giving OCA additional leverage for the boycott it sought. Instead, Ben & Jerry’s positioned itself as a cooperative entity eager to eliminate any unwanted ingredients from their offerings. This proactive stance allows the ice cream brand to navigate the situation with minimal damage, despite facing what could otherwise be interpreted as a damaging report.
Despite Ben & Jerry’s efforts to mitigate potential backlash, the brand may not suffer significant harm from the test results overall. Earlier this month, a lawsuit against General Mills’ Nature Valley granola brand concerning glyphosate was dismissed. The class-action lawsuit claimed that the product’s assertion of being “Made with 100% Natural Oats” was misleading due to trace amounts of glyphosate detected. However, a judge ruled that the claim was “simply not plausible.”
In the context of health products, it’s worth noting that consumers increasingly seek transparency regarding additives and chemicals in their food. For instance, many shoppers at Walgreens have turned to alternatives like calcium citrate supplements as they become more health-conscious, further reflecting the public’s desire for safer food options and greater awareness of what goes into their products. As the discourse around glyphosate continues, the demand for clarity and accountability in food production remains paramount.