Glyphosate in beer Federal Institute sees no health risks

Health-critical? BfR sees no danger from glyphosate in beer

Stiftung Warentest has recently found glyphosate in almost all products in a study of non-alcoholic beers. The weed killer is classified as "probably carcinogenic" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), however, sees no danger to cancer for consumers.

Weed killer in german beer

In recent years, studies have shown not only that glyphosate was detectable in beers, but also that residues of the plant venom are measurable in urine in a majority of Germans. The demands for a ban on glyphosate became louder. But now, research results have been published again, which make it clear that the weed killer can still be found today in local beers.

Stiftung Warentest recently detected glyphosate in a study in non-alcoholic beers. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) considers the detected levels to be harmless to health. (Image: nitr / fotolia.com)

BfR sees no health risk

Stiftung Warentest has recently detected glyphosate in a study in 18 non-alcoholic beers and two non-alcoholic craft beers.

"Whether the amounts we determine are" bad "depends on how to classify the danger of the substance to humans," explains Thomas Koppmann, project manager for food testing at Stiftung Warentest on their website.

"Thus, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) assumes that glyphosate is not classified as carcinogenic according to the current state of knowledge and uses for its assessment in beer the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) for glyphosate - the amount that an adult daily be for all your life, "says the expert.

In this case, the levels found would be harmless. This is also communicated by the BfR in a current communication.

"The contents were in the range of quantities that occurred in 2016 and 2017 in studies on behalf of the Environmental Institute Munich e.V. in the 14 highest-sales German beers on glyphosate," writes the Institute.

The highest value in the 2018 beers was thus 28 micrograms per liter of beer.

Residues of glyphosate are possible on imported malting barley

According to BfR, glyphosate residues in beer are scientifically plausible and basically expectable.

Glyphosate is an authorized plant protection product for cereals, with residues in beer not exceeding the maximum residue levels fixed for cereals taking into account a processing factor.

In Germany, glyphosate must not be used for brewing barley to ripen before harvest (siccation). According to the BfR, measurable residues are to be expected only with this type of application.

However, this regulation does not apply in all EU countries, so residues of glyphosate are possible with imported malting barley.

1,000 liters of beer a day

According to the institute, even the highest reported glyphosate content in beer (30 micrograms per liter in 2016) is so low that the resulting intake of one adult (60 kg body weight) would be more than 1000 times lower than the current one safe daily tolerable daily intake (ADI) or the acute reference dose.

In order to absorb harmful amounts of glyphosate, an adult would have to drink about 1,000 liters of beer in one day.

"Glyphosate levels of 30 micrograms per liter of beer and below, according to the current state of knowledge, pose no health risk", concludes the BfR. (Ad)