by Dr. Joseph Mercola, Mercola:
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- On February 1, 2024, General Mills launched “LOADED,” a new cereal line with enlarged squares of popular cereals filled with artificially flavored vanilla creme, but tests reveal alarming levels of heavy metals in Trix LOADED
- Trix LOADED contains more than double the EPA’s allowable level for lead, 400% higher levels of cadmium, and up to 1,650% higher aluminum levels than EPA standards for drinking water
- The European Food Safety Authority’s weekly aluminum intake limit is nearly reached by daily consumption of Trix LOADED, not accounting for other aluminum exposure sources. Glyphosate and eight pesticides were also detected
- Processed cereals are major sources of linoleic acid (LA), which may impair mitochondrial function and contribute to chronic disease
- Bone broth is a nutritious alternative to cereal. Bone broth contains important amino acids that few people get enough of, such as glycine and proline, which are important for longevity and overall health
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February 1, 2024, General Mills, Inc. launched a new breakfast cereal line called “LOADED.” The new line features enlarged squares of popular cereals — Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Trix, and Cocoa Puffs — filled with artificially flavored vanilla creme.
Testing1 by Moms Across America (MAA) now reveal Trix LOADED (the only LOADED cereal included in this preliminary test) contains aluminum, cadmium, arsenic and lead, in some cases far exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s allowable levels in drinking water. For example, the two Trix LOADED samples contained:
- More than double the EPA’s allowable level for lead
- 400% higher levels of cadmium than what the EPA allows
- 1,365% and 1,650% higher levels of aluminum than what the EPA allows
As noted by Epoch Times reporter Megan Redshaw:2
“In 2008, the European Food Safety Authority established a ‘tolerable weekly intake’3 of 1 mg of aluminum per kg of body weight per week, based on combined evidence from animal studies that assessed dietary administration of aluminum compounds.
Using European Union standards, if a child eats a 40-gram serving of Trix LOADED cereal daily, the weekly consumption of aluminum would be 0.98 mg/week based on one sample and 0.82 mg/week based on the other.
This is roughly equal to the EU’s limit without considering other sources of aluminum exposure, such as flour, baking soda, medications, processed foods, and aluminum pots and pans.”
Toxic Pesticides Detected
Glyphosate and eight different pesticides were also detected. While most had only trace levels, two — piperonyl butoxide-1 (PBO) and fluopyram-1 — were found at higher levels.
PBO is a broad-spectrum fungicide that has been linked to liver problems, endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental problems and thyroid cancer. The U.S. classifies it as a “possible human carcinogen” based on animal studies. Glyphosate also has carcinogenic potential. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as “probably” carcinogenic to humans. As reported by Redshaw:4
“Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, was found in both samples of Trix LOADED cereal at 15.83 ppb and 17.47 ppb … Studies have confirmed a link between glyphosate and numerous health conditions, including cancers and nervous system disorders.
Additionally, Monsanto, now Bayer, agreed to pay roughly $11 billion to settle claims filed by individuals who say Roundup caused their non-Hodgkin lymphoma or other related cancers. As of March, there are 4,253 cancer lawsuits, out of the 4,800 claims originally filed, still pending in the California Roundup multi-district litigation.
In research5 published by the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, scientists found that childhood exposure to glyphosate is linked to liver inflammation and metabolic disorders in adulthood that could lead to liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases later in life.
Researchers found high levels of glyphosate residue in the urine of children and adolescents and reported that diet was a key source of exposure — as levels were higher in those who consumed more cereals and carbohydrates.”
MAA Calls on General Mills to Clean Up Its Product Line
In an email provided to The Epoch Times, the MAA called on General Mills to source ingredients from suppliers that do not use glyphosate or other chemicals as a drying agent and/or preharvest weedkiller. MAA is also urging the company to:
- Phase out the use of glyphosate as a weedkiller within one to two years.
- Test all fertilizers used for heavy metal contaminants and shift to using only the safest ones.
- Support and promote regenerative organic farming practices.
MAA director Zen Honeycutt told The Epoch Times:
“We hope consumers will learn the truth about the contents of LOADED cereal and make choices to support their family’s health. We also hope they [consumers] will alert their elected officials that these types of foods, with high heavy metals and agrochemicals, have no place in the American food supply.”
