Is There Glyphosate in Oats?

🔑 Key Findings

95% of conventional oat products tested by EWG contained glyphosate.

Quaker Oatmeal Squares historically tested as high as 2,837 ppb—18x the EWG health benchmark.

Recent 2025 tests by Moms Across America found glyphosate in 90% of popular U.S. children's cereals.

Organic oats have significantly lower levels (often trace or non-detect) but can suffer from drift.

The Short Answer

Yes, most conventional oats contain glyphosate.

Unlike many other crops, oats are frequently sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup) right before harvest to dry them out evenly. This process, called desiccation, leaves substantial residues on the grain that ends up directly in your bowl.

Testing consistently finds that conventional (non-organic) oats are among the most contaminated foods in the grocery store. While organic oats are prohibited from being sprayed, they can still have trace amounts due to wind drift, making third-party testing crucial.

Why This Matters

It’s not just a weed killer; it’s a desiccant.

Most people assume pesticides are only used to kill weeds early in the season. With oats, farmers spray glyphosate days before harvest to kill the crop and dry it out. This means the chemical is applied when the grain is fully formed, leading to residue levels significantly higher than in other crops.

The "Safe" Limit Gap.

There is a massive chasm between what the EPA considers legal and what independent scientists consider safe.

EPA Legal Limit: 30,000 ppb (parts per billion)
EWG Health Benchmark: 160 ppb

The EPA limit is set based on toxicity studies often funded by industry. The EWG benchmark is based on a one-in-a-million cancer risk. Many popular oat brands fall into the "legal but concerning" gap—testing between 300 and 2,000 ppb.

What Testing Reveals

Independent organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Moms Across America have tracked this for years. Here is the reality of what's in the aisle:

Quaker Oats: Consistently the worst offender. In 2018, samples hit 2,837 ppb. While 2024-2025 tests show levels have dropped (often to the 500 ppb range), they are still frequently above the 160 ppb health benchmark.
Cheerios (General Mills): Another frequent offender. While General Mills has claimed to reduce usage, residues remain common in conventional varieties.
Organic Brands: Generally clean. Most test as "Non-Detect" (ND) or trace amounts (<30 ppb) caused by drift from neighboring farms.

What to Look For

Green Flags:

Certified Organic — This is the baseline. It legally prohibits glyphosate application.
"Glyphosate Residue Free" Seal — The gold standard. Certifiers like The Detox Project verify that products test below 10 ppb.
Sprouted Oats — Often processed with higher standards and transparency.

Red Flags:

"Natural" or "Non-GMO" Labels — These mean nothing regarding glyphosate. Non-GMO oats can still be desiccated with Roundup.
Conventional "Quick" Oats — Often have the highest surface area and highest recorded levels.

The Best Options

If you eat oats daily, switching to organic is one of the most impactful changes you can make to reduce your pesticide load.

Brand	Product	Verdict	Why
One Degree	Sprouted Organic Oats	✅	Certified Glyphosate Residue Free; transparent sourcing.
Nature's Path	Organic Oats	✅	Consistently tests clean; strong organic advocacy.
Bob's Red Mill	Organic Rolled Oats	✅	Generally clean, but ensure you buy the Organic version.
Bob's Red Mill	Conventional Oats	⚠️	Better than Quaker, but still at risk of contamination.
Quaker	Old Fashioned Oats	🚫	Historically high levels; widely sprayed supply chain.
General Mills	Cheerios	🚫	Consistent positive tests; marketed to kids but fails safety benchmarks.

The Bottom Line

1. Stop buying conventional oats. The price difference is small compared to the difference in chemical exposure.

2. Ignore "Non-GMO" on oats. Oats aren't GMO to begin with; the label distracts you from the real issue (desiccation).

3. Look for the seal. Brands like One Degree that carry the BioChecked or Detox Project seal are your safest bet.

FAQ

Does rinsing oats remove glyphosate?

No. Glyphosate is systemic, meaning it is absorbed into the plant tissue. Unlike dirt on an apple skin, you cannot wash it off.

Is "Non-GMO" the same as glyphosate-free?

No. There are no GMO oats on the market. A "Non-GMO" label on oats is marketing fluff. Conventional non-GMO oats are still sprayed with glyphosate to dry them out.

Are steel-cut oats safer than rolled oats?

Not necessarily. Both come from the same oat groat. If the original field was sprayed, both cuts will be contaminated. However, less processing usually implies a slightly lower risk of cross-contamination in the factory.

References (15)

🛒 Product Recommendations

✅

Sprouted Organic Rolled Oats

One Degree Organic Foods

Third-party certified Glyphosate Residue Free and fully transparent sourcing.

Recommended

✅

Organic Old Fashioned Oats

Nature's Path

Consistent testing reveals no detectable glyphosate in most batches.

Recommended

🚫

Old Fashioned Oats

Quaker

Consistently tests positive for glyphosate, often exceeding EWG health benchmarks.

Avoid

✅

Organic Oat Non-Dairy Beverage

Kirkland Signature

This Costco store-brand oat milk was tested by an EPA-certified laboratory in a 2023 Mamavation study and showed non-detectable levels for both glyphosate and heavy metals. It is certified USDA Organic, ensuring no pre-harvest desiccation is permitted.

Recommended

✅

Overnight Oats

MUSH

MUSH exclusively uses oats that are certified Glyphosate Residue Free by the Detox Project. The product is also certified gluten-free and avoids artificial flavors and preservatives.

Recommended

✅

Double Protein Organic Oats

Zego

Zego operates with total supply chain transparency by posting third-party glyphosate test results for every single batch online. Their oats consistently test non-detect for glyphosate and over 400 other agricultural chemicals.

Recommended

✅

Organic Granola

Back Roads

This was the first granola company to achieve the Detox Project's Glyphosate Residue Free certification. The product is also Non-GMO Project Verified and certified organic, providing multi-layered verification of clean sourcing.

Recommended

✅

Organic Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats

365 by Whole Foods Market

Independent testing by both the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Mamavation found non-detectable levels of glyphosate in these store-brand oats. It represents one of the most accessible, budget-friendly clean options on the market.

Recommended

✅

Organic Instant Oatmeal, Original

Simple Truth

EWG tested multiple samples of this Kroger store-brand instant oatmeal and found no detectable traces of glyphosate. This is a rare clean find in the instant oat category, which typically suffers from the highest contamination rates.

Recommended

✅

Organic Oatmilk Original

Califia Farms

Certified USDA Organic and verified clean in 2023 third-party testing, which found no detectable glyphosate or heavy metals. The company avoids the conventional oat base used by many competing barista milks.

Recommended

✅

Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted Cereal

Kashi

EWG testing confirmed no detectable glyphosate in this specific organic cereal. It provides a safer alternative to conventional honey-flavored oat rings that heavily rely on desiccated crops.

Recommended

✅

Australian Creamy Style Rolled Oats

Red Tractor Foods

These imported oats hold the strict Glyphosate Residue Free certification from the Detox Project. They are frequently stocked at discount retailers like TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, making premium clean oats highly accessible.

Recommended

✅

Organic Harvest Berry Granola Bar

Cascadian Farm

Tested by the EWG and found to contain zero detectable glyphosate. This provides a verified clean snack bar option for children, directly contrasting with heavily contaminated conventional granola bars.

Recommended

✅

Organic Whole Grain Oats

Almond Cow

Specifically packaged for making homemade non-dairy milk, these oats are Detox Project Certified Glyphosate Residue Free. They offer a verified clean raw ingredient for consumers avoiding commercial oat milks.

Recommended

✅

Organic Oatmilk with Seeds

Three Trees

In a comprehensive 13-brand oat milk study, this product tested completely free of both glyphosate and heavy metals. It utilizes a clean, organic ingredient profile without industrial seed oils or gums.

Recommended

🚫

Extra Creamy Oatmilk

Silk

A 2023 EPA-certified lab test commissioned by Mamavation found glyphosate at 14 parts per billion (ppb) in this conventional oat milk. Any detection above 10 ppb in a liquid consumed daily is considered a long-term exposure risk.

Avoid

🚫

Honey Nut Cheerios

General Mills

While historically cited for high glyphosate (833 ppb in 2019 EWG tests), 2025 testing by Moms Across America revealed a shift to 134.16 ppb of chlormequat. This indicates the manufacturer is replacing glyphosate with a banned reproductive-harming pesticide on imported grains.

Avoid

⚠️

Organic Oat Milk

Malk

While this product tested non-detect for glyphosate, 2023 independent lab testing flagged it for containing arsenic at 12 ppb. This highlights that even premium organic oats can uptake heavy metals from agricultural soil.

Use Caution

🚫

Oatmeal Whole Grain Baby Cereal

Beech-Nut

EWG's 2023 testing identified this conventional infant cereal as having the highest detectable levels of glyphosate among all baby products tested. It was also flagged for traces of the agricultural chemical chlormequat.

Avoid

🚫

Froot Loops

Kellogg's

In 2025, Moms Across America testing detected 55.41 ppb of chlormequat in this oat-and-grain cereal. It demonstrates how multi-grain conventional cereals expose children to toxic agricultural desiccants beyond just glyphosate.

Avoid

🚫

Original Instant Oatmeal

Great Value

Walmart's conventional quick oats tested between 450 and 760 ppb for glyphosate in EWG studies, dwarfing the 160 ppb health benchmark. The high surface area of quick oats often leads to greater absorption of pre-harvest desiccants.

Avoid

🚫

Granola Protein Oats 'n Honey

Nature Valley

Tested between 170 and 220 ppb for glyphosate by the EWG. The brand has faced consumer litigation over its '100% natural whole grain oats' labeling given the consistent presence of synthetic pesticide residues.

Avoid

🚫

Dinosaur Eggs Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal

Quaker

Despite being aggressively marketed to children, EWG testing found extreme glyphosate loads ranging from 620 to 780 ppb. This single serving far exceeds the daily exposure threshold considered safe for pediatric development.

Avoid

⚠️

Conventional Steel Cut Oats

Bob's Red Mill

While their organic line is exceptionally clean, EWG testing found up to 300 ppb of glyphosate in these conventional steel-cut oats. This stark contrast proves that the brand name alone does not guarantee safety from desiccants.

Use Caution

🚫

Instant Oatmeal, Strawberries & Cream

Market Pantry

Target's conventional store brand tested up to 520 ppb for glyphosate in EWG evaluations. The high pesticide load is compounded by ultra-processed artificial flavors and synthetic food dyes.

Avoid

⚠️

Maple Pecan Oatmeal

Umpqua Oats

Despite its premium price point and artisan branding, this product relies on conventional oats that tested at 220 ppb for glyphosate. It serves as a prime example of 'health halo' marketing obscuring standard agrochemical practices.

Use Caution

🚫

Cookie Crisp (European Import)

Nestlé

Consumers often import European cereals assuming strict EU regulations make them safer. However, 2025 MAA testing revealed the French version of this cereal contained a massive 732 ppb of glyphosate, proving European conventional grains are also heavily desiccated.

Avoid

💡 We don't accept payment for recommendations. Some links may be affiliate links.

Is There Glyphosate in Oats?

TL;DR

🔑 Key Findings

The Short Answer

Why This Matters

What Testing Reveals

What to Look For

The Best Options

The Bottom Line

FAQ

Does rinsing oats remove glyphosate?

Is "Non-GMO" the same as glyphosate-free?

Are steel-cut oats safer than rolled oats?

🛒 Product Recommendations

📖 Related Research

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Search GetCrunchy

TL;DR

🔑 Key Findings

The Short Answer

Why This Matters

What Testing Reveals

What to Look For

The Best Options

The Bottom Line

FAQ

Does rinsing oats remove glyphosate?

Is "Non-GMO" the same as glyphosate-free?

Are steel-cut oats safer than rolled oats?

🛒 Product Recommendations

📖 Related Research

Is Apple Cider Vinegar Actually Healthy?

Is Cheap Balsamic Vinegar Fake?

Is Caramel Color in Balsamic Vinegar Safe?

More about Pantry Staples