When it comes to unsafe chemicals in oats, we’re driven by our mission to ensure our GF Oats are free from any unwanted nasties - and this includes any unwanted and unsafe chemicals.
So, the short answer is NO! There are no unsafe chemicals found in our oats, and this includes having nil glyphosate. This answer comes from comprehensive tests of our compliance with our farmers as part of the Oats Purity Protocol guidelines we follow.
What is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is the activated chemical ingredient found in Roundup and over 700 other garden and agricultural products, found in oats and associated oat products in agriculture.
Glyphosate has been used for over 50 years now to assist with weed prevention. I'm sure many of you have used or maybe are still using a herbicide of some sort to assist you in controlling weeds around your home. That’s why farmers predominantly use herbicides to control weeds at a commercial level.
More recently we have been made aware that farming practices had turned to using Roundup to dry crops, more commonly used in wheat production. They spray close to harvest to ensure that the plants are all dead at harvest time.
What the Experts Say About Glyphosate
Many health and agricultural experts say that humans don't absorb glyphosate in the same way they do harmful chemicals like DDT. So it's safe in low quantities.
In 2015, however, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen after studies linked it to non-Hodgkin‚ lymphoma. In 2016, the FDA announced that it would begin testing for glyphosate in four widely used crops: soybeans, corn, milk, and eggs.
Do Organic Oats Mean No Glyphosate?
While all GF Oats products are free from glyphosate, it’s important to be aware of the fact that not all organic oats are free from this chemical.
Back in 2018, a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group measured the presence of glyphosate in a range of oat-based products. 45 were tested in total, including 16 organic oat food samples. Of those 16 organic oat options, five of them found detectable levels of glyphosate.
It’s important to keep this in mind when purchasing certified organic oats. That’s why it’s a core component of our focus to ensure our oats are free from harmful chemicals, including glyphosate.
Our oats are grown in beautiful Wandering, Western Australia, and are completely sundried, unlike oats grown in colder climates internationally. They are often sprayed with chemicals to assist ripening before harvesting, which is called ‘crop topping’.
The Importance of Buying Organic Certified Oats
With the above in mind, it speaks to the importance of ensuring you buy organic oats that are known to be free from chemicals that are potentially unsafe for prolonged consumption.
When you buy from GF Oats, it doesn’t matter which oat product you’re purchasing from us, all of them go through various processes to remove contaminants and other unwanted chemicals. With a GF Oats purchase, you can rest assured that our certified organic oats are:
- Glyphosate-free
- Wheat-free
- Barley and rye-free
- GMO-free
- Refined sugar-free
- Dairy-free
- Certified organic
- Vegan
There are so many wonderful health benefits that come from eating oats that it’s essential to ensure you’re getting the purest options available.
Certified Organic oats will always offer the best and least contaminated options you can get your hands on, and the GF Oats range takes this commitment very seriously. Providing you with the very best oats free of unwanted chemicals is a core focus of our business.
Check out our extensive range of oats, including organic offerings, quick oats, oat biscuits, and so much more!
If you have any questions regarding our range, you can view our FAQs or get in touch with the team directly. We’re happy to help.