Researchers found four in five Americans have been exposed to the “toxic” pesticide chlormequat, which is used in oat-based foods like Cheerios and Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Oats and can cause fertility problems in animals.

Around 80% of Americans have been exposed to the plant pesticide chlormequat, which causes fertility and growth issues in animals, according to a new study published Thursday…

    • @reddig33@lemmy.world
      28•5 months ago

      Greed. It happens because of selfish greedy people who care about nothing but making themselves richer.

    • GhostalmediaEnglish
      14•5 months ago

      Interestingly enough, the US does not allow American farmers to use chlormequat on domestic food. That said, the loophole is that US food producers are allowed to import crops grown with it.

      And although most US grain is grown domestically, the US gets a shitload of oats from Canada, and Canada still sprays this crap on crops. The UK is also shady with this stuff.

    • @CyberSeeker@discuss.tchncs.de
      -44•5 months ago

      It happens because consumers insist on buying and eating processed shit like this decade after decade. In what world were Cheerios considered a healthy option?

      • @stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub
        45•5 months ago

        They’re supposed to be a whole grain simple cereal. They’ve also marketed it as such and doctors recommend them for simple diets (or have in the past for me, maybe that’s changed)

        In what world were cheerios considered “going to give you fucking reproductive issues”

        Fuck outta here with your attitude

        • astraeus
          -10•5 months ago

          I guess it brings into question what is true and what is just blatantly made-up. Cheerios being a healthy alternative was only true because the box said so, because the commercials said so, because the “doctors” supposedly said so. When in reality, eating eggs or some kind of lean protein, greens and a piece of whole wheat toast would be a substantially healthier breakfast.

          • FiveMacs
            11•5 months ago

            People don’t like being told they were lied too and their ‘thoughts on reality’ are wrong. The amount of premade garbage people buy thinking is healthy is astonishing.

            • astraeus
              1•5 months ago

              I eat processed foods, living in the States it’s nearly impossible to avoid. But I also don’t look at Cheerios and think they actually improve heart health, or that they provide any sort of nutritional benefit that any other cereal wouldn’t. It’s much more convenient for people to just believe what a box says instead of comparing the product to any other product on offer, or better yet reconsidering how healthy breakfast cereal is in general.