Are We Drinking Weed Killer In Our Beer? Report Says Yes

In a recent report released by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group the next time you enjoy a glass of wine or a mug of beer, chances are you’re also drinking small amounts of pesticide. All but one of 20 alcoholic beverages analyzed in a recent study had detectable levels of the pesticide glyphosate. The pesticide is best known as the key ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup.

In a summary of the report's findings on WebMD.com, the researchers tested five wines, 14 beers, and one hard cider for the presence of glyphosate. The amount detected ranged from a high of 51 parts per billion (ppb) in a Sutter Home wine to no detectable levels in Peak Organic IPA beer.

Now that is well below the threshold set by the EPA which set the allowable ranges as 0.2 to 400 ppm -- or 200 to 400,000 ppb. As far as how certain brands and products did in the study. The highest amount of glyphosate was found in wine from Sutter Home. The 2018 Merlot in a 4 pack of 187ml bottles had 51.4 ppb.The report also stated that the highest amount of glyphosate found in beer was 49.7 ppb. That was found in a 4 pack of Tsingtao Beer that came in 21.6-oz bottles.In a Yahoo Finance article, "many companies cited in the study questioned the accuracy of the report. And trade groups for both the beer and wine industries said even if the numbers were correct, the levels were still well below those that are considered remotely hazardous."

The weed killer has shown up in several other food products both in the U.S. and Canada in the past year, including Cheerios and Quaker Oats.