For nearly 140 years the Quaker Oats brand has advertised itself as being "100% natural," but a new lawsuit could change all that, reports The New York Times.
A federal lawsuit seeking class-action status in New York and California claims that an active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, glyphosate, can be found in trace amounts in the oatmeal.
The suit says there is nothing unlawful about Quaker's growing and processing methods, but rather in their claims about being healthy and natural.
The World Health Organization announced last year that glyphosate likely causes cancer, and the Food and Drug Administration is now testing some foods for the pesticide.
Quaker says it does not add glyphosate, but that it could have been applied by farmers before harvesting.
The plaintiffs are seeking refunds for purchasers and asking Quaker's parent company, PepsiCo, to reformulate their products or at least disclose the presence of glyphosate.
Cox Media Group
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