Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened a broad investigation into major pesticide and food manufacturers, including Bayer and PepsiCo, over concerns about glyphosate contamination in everyday food products.
The inquiry centers on glyphosate, the primary ingredient in the popular weed killer Roundup. Paxton’s office issued Civil Investigative Demands to the companies as part of the effort to examine potential health risks from residues in the food supply, particularly those affecting children.
Classified in 2015 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a probable human carcinogen, glyphosate has also been linked in research to endocrine disruption, infertility, kidney disease, and autoimmune conditions. Usage has surged in the United States, with more than 250 million pounds applied annually, much of it on genetically engineered crops.
Studies show detectable levels of the chemical in more than 70% of American adults today, up sharply from 12% in 1993. Officials point to the practice of using glyphosate as a desiccant — spraying crops shortly before harvest to dry them uniformly — as a key driver. This method is especially common with oats, even though the Environmental Protection Agency prohibits its use as a desiccant on domestically grown oats.
Many manufacturers source oats from overseas, where the practice is still permitted, resulting in residues in cereals, breakfast bars, and cookies. Research indicates that products marketed to children often rank among the most contaminated, with youngsters ages 1 to 2 facing the highest dietary exposure of any age group. Some items promoted as healthy options have also tested with elevated levels, according to available data.
Paxton’s investigation will also review whether companies are complying with Texas law and whether consumers, particularly parents, have been misled by health-related marketing claims.
“If any corporation is using regulatory loopholes to poison our kids with glyphosate, we will find out and we will secure justice,” Paxton said in a news release. “My office is also investigating whether major food companies are complying with Texas law and whether consumers, especially parents, have been misled about the health claims of common food products marketed to their families. No corporation is above the law, and no illegal action will go unpunished.”
