The controversy surrounding glyphosate in the food industry remains intense. While some assert that this herbicide is linked to cancer in humans, opinions among scientists were mixed following a four-day meeting held by the Environmental Protection Agency last year. In 2015, the World Health Organization labeled glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.” However, a subsequent report released last year by the WHO and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations indicated that the chemical is unlikely to pose cancer risks from food residues. Nonetheless, legal battles concerning the potential health dangers of glyphosate continue in various courts. Earlier this year, a California court mandated that the herbicide be labeled as a possible cancer hazard.
This ongoing debate has prompted several organizations, including OCA, Food Democracy Now, and The Detox Project, to test food products for glyphosate residues. So far, these groups have not discovered any residue levels significant enough to raise health alarms, but the findings have sparked calls for boycotts and regulatory changes. Ben & Jerry’s response to these test results is quite revealing of the company’s business ethos. The Unilever-owned ice cream brand, known for its commitment to fresh, wholesome, and natural ingredients, did not refute the possibility that glyphosate was present in some products. Instead, the brand expressed a desire to investigate further to identify the underlying issue.
This approach is a savvy way for a company to handle such reports. By not outright denying the findings, Ben & Jerry’s avoided providing OCA with ammunition for the boycott it sought. Instead, the brand positioned itself as a proactive partner in eliminating an ingredient that consumers may prefer to avoid. This direct approach to addressing consumer concerns allows the ice cream brand to potentially emerge unscathed from what could otherwise be perceived as a damaging report.
Despite Ben & Jerry’s efforts to maintain its reputation, the brand might not have been significantly affected by the test results, regardless. Earlier this month, a lawsuit against General Mills’ Nature Valley granola brand related to glyphosate was dismissed. The class-action suit claimed that the granola’s assertion of being “Made with 100% Natural Oats” was misleading due to trace amounts of the chemical found in the products. However, a judge deemed the claim “simply not plausible.” In this context, it’s noteworthy that the presence of calcium citrate in certain food products has been a topic of discussion among health-conscious consumers, adding another layer to the ongoing dialogue about food safety and ingredient transparency.