Report reveals harmful contaminants in American school lunches

In a new report released by Moms Across America (MAA), a coalition of mothers dedicated to raising awareness about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides, and health, shocking revelations have emerged about the state of school lunches across the United States. The study, which tested 43 lunch items from 18 public schools nationwide, exposed a distressing reality: a food supply tainted with toxic pesticides, veterinary drugs, and harmful heavy metals, all while lacking proper nutrition.    

One of the most alarming findings was that 93.4% of the tested school lunches contained detectable levels of glyphosate weed killer, with impressive values in some cases (e.g. 286.77 ng/g in a tortilla and 156.14 ng/g in a pizza). Glyphosate, classified as a "probable human carcinogen" by the World Health Organization, has been linked to cancer and various other ailments. The highest levels of glyphosate and its even more toxic breakdown product, AMPA, were found in different types of food.    

The study's findings regarding glyphosate are particularly concerning, as regular consumption of levels above 25 ng/g, which were found in some samples, can have harmful effects on human health. Rats exposed to similar levels of glyphosate have shown symptoms of life-threatening Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), a condition that has become increasingly prevalent among children.    

Furthermore, the study discovered that 74% of the school lunch samples contained 29 different types of pesticides, such as: 2,4-D, Atrazine, Carbaryl, Chlorpyrifos, Dicamba, Fipronil, Imidacloprid, Metoclor, Pyrimenthanil, Simazine, Tetraconazole, Thiabendazole, Piperonal Butoxide (PBO), and more. PBO, present in 41% of the samples up to 41.96 ppb, is not a pesticide but a synergist that amplifies the pesticidal activity, this increase concern because it results in being used much more widely and therefore results in higher exposure.  

Additionally, heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, were found in 100% of the school lunches, some at levels up to 6 293 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) maximum levels allowed in drinking water.    

The presence of veterinary drugs and hormones in school lunches is also a pressing issue. The study detected four veterinary drugs and hormones in nine samples at levels up to 130.76 ng/g.    

The testing also revealed that essential minerals were sorely deficient in most samples. Sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium were severely lacking, posing concerns about the nutritional value of the meals provided to children.    

MAA insists that these tests should be conducted by federal government agencies and the results made publicly available. However, the coalition claims that the government is heavily influenced by major agricultural and chemical corporations, making it unlikely that such actions will be taken.    

The data presented in the MAA report is still under review, and additional assessments may be added to further illuminate the extent of the problem. As the coalition pushes for nationwide change on a federal level, it refrains from disclosing specific school locations, placing its trust in the government to enact policies that will improve the overall quality of the national school lunch program.    

 

Source:  

Moms Across America