Since we concluded the eastern tour of the Maritime provinces, a number of new issues have come up, some of it with some involvement from my end as well. Here I shall cover one aspect of it – testing mammalian body fluids, such as human urine, blood or mothers breast milk, as well as cow milk, and perhaps even grain or bread etc, for presence of Glyphosate – the active poison in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide.

What I learned in the process is that the dozen or so labs in Canada that have the accreditation for testing for Glyphosate, none seem prepared to test its presence in any sample except water and soil. Urine, blood or milk from nursing mothers or cows cannot be tested. I told him of me being puzzled and wondering if Health Canada at all has imposed any acceptable limit of concentration of Glyphosate in humans, and if they do – what is that limit. More importantly, how do they test it if no lab in Canada can do that? If on the other hand, Health Canada has not set any limit of concentration in humans, and in effect considers any level of accumulation is fine – then why set a limit for potable water in the first place ?

What exactly is Health Canada’s position on accumulation of Glyphosate in humans and other animals?

I told him about the general conception that, if Glyphosate can bio-accumulate in the body, then its acceptable limit in environment should be way less than it is now. Presence of it in mothers breast milk in USA is already raising questions these questions across the border. I told him how most experts will agree that fetuses in the womb are more vulnerable to harmful molecules since they have not yet developed enough resistance to disease from what they eat, which is why an affected mother, if she can pass Glyphosate to the fetus, may pose a higher risk of harming the baby.

Mr. Atamanenko lent his support to getting the tests done across the border in USA, if no Canadian lab can do it. Further, he wished me to send a short note on the question my suspicion that Health Canada might not have imposed any limit to accumulation of Glyphosate in human beings, and worry that this is dangerous to health of Canadian people as well as the animal kingdom. Mr. Atamanenko wishes to push this issue directly to the minister of health.

You can listen to the 5 minute podcast of which just over two minutes are from Mr. Atamanenko.

Meanwhile, I received this note of relevance from Dr. Anthony Samsel himself, from Cambridge, Massachusetts:

Hi Tony,

All who consume food containing glyphosate residues, be they man or beast will have glyphosate residues circulating in their blood and bioaccumulating in their tissues.  Glyphosate bioaccumulates in the milk of all mammals and can also be found attached to the fatty acids of cerebrospinal fluid.  Contrary to Monsanto’s claims that glyphosate is metabolized and passed out of the body harmlessly in the urine and feces, some does bioaccumulate.

Glyphosate also attaches to muscle tissue which includes the heart and it has been found in the pancreas, liver and kidneys.  Glyphosate is passed up and through the food chain.  What affects one species, will affect all species exposed; there is no free lunch.  Glyphosate is an equal opportunity offender.

You may quote me

Anthony

So there you have it folks.
I shall be happy to have your feedback at tony.mitra@gmail.com