Testing Results
Glyphosate Testing: Findings in American Mothers’ Breast Milk, Urine and Water
This groundbreaking pilot study was the first of its kind in the United States — testing human breast milk, urine, and drinking water for glyphosate contamination.
Key Findings
Results from independent laboratory analysis of samples collected from American mothers and households.
Breast Milk Samples Positive
3 out of 10 breast milk samples collected from American mothers tested positive for glyphosate at concentrations ranging from 76 to 166 micrograms per liter (ug/L).
Above EU Allowable Limits
The glyphosate levels found in breast milk were 760 to 1,600 times higher than the EU maximum allowable level for glyphosate in drinking water (0.1 ug/L).
Water Samples Positive
13 out of 21 water samples collected from across the United States tested positive for glyphosate, demonstrating widespread environmental contamination.
Breast Milk Results
This was the first-ever testing of human breast milk for glyphosate conducted in the United States. Moms Across America partnered with Sustainable Pulse to collect samples from mothers across the country.
3 out of 10 samples tested positive for glyphosate at concentrations between 76 and 166 micrograms per liter (ug/L). To put this in perspective, the European Union sets a maximum allowable level of 0.1 ug/L for glyphosate in drinking water. The levels found in breast milk were 760 to 1,600 times that limit.
Glyphosate in breast milk means newborns — who rely on breast milk as their sole nutrition — are being exposed to this herbicide from the very first days of life. Given what we know about glyphosate’s effects on the gut microbiome, hormone systems, and cell growth, this is an urgent public health concern.
Urine Results
Urine samples were also collected from participating mothers and tested for glyphosate. Urine testing indicates active or recent exposure and the body’s attempt to excrete the chemical.
The urine results confirmed systemic glyphosate exposure in American women. Glyphosate detected in urine demonstrates that this herbicide is being absorbed into the body through food consumption and is systemically circulating — not simply passing through the digestive tract.
Water Results
13 out of 21 tap and well water samples collected from households across the United States tested positive for glyphosate. Samples came from a range of geographic regions, including both agricultural and urban areas.
The presence of glyphosate in drinking water is particularly alarming because water is consumed by every member of the household daily — including infants, young children, and pregnant women. Unlike food, water is rarely considered a potential source of herbicide exposure by consumers.
The U.S. EPA has set a maximum contaminant level of 700 ug/L for glyphosate in drinking water — a limit that many scientists argue is far too high to protect public health. The EU limit of 0.1 ug/L for pesticides in drinking water reflects the precautionary principle that any pesticide in drinking water is unacceptable.
The Significance of This Study
This pilot study by Moms Across America was unprecedented in the United States. Prior to this testing, the EPA and FDA had not required or conducted testing of human breast milk for glyphosate residues, despite the chemical being one of the most heavily applied herbicides in American agricultural history.
The results generated significant media attention and spurred demands for formal government-funded research. Moms Across America sent these findings to the FDA, EPA, and members of Congress, calling for immediate investigation and the establishment of safety standards for glyphosate in human breast milk and drinking water.
Glyphosate has been linked to disruption of the gut microbiome, endocrine disruption, and is classified as a “probable carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, 2015). For nursing infants, whose immune and neurological systems are still developing, any exposure warrants serious concern.
Protect Mothers & Newborns
Demand that the FDA and EPA test breast milk for glyphosate and establish meaningful safety standards.