Glyphosate: Too much of a good thing?

Abstract

Although previously accepted as the less toxic alternative, with low impact on animals, farmers as well as consumers who are exposed to residues in food, glyphosate chemicals are now increasingly controversial as new evidence from research is emerging. We argue that specific aspects of the history, chemistry and safety of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides should be thoroughly considered in present and future re-evaluations of these dominant agrochemicals: • Glyphosate is not a single chemical, it is a family of compounds with different chemical, physical, and toxicological properties. • Glyphosate is increasingly recognized as having more profound toxicological effects than assumed from previous assessments. • Global use of glyphosate is continuously increasing and residues are detected in food, feed, and drinking water. Thus, consumers are increasingly exposed to higher levels of glyphosate residues, and from an increasing number of sources. • Glyphosate regulation is predominantly still based on primary safety-assessment testing in various indicator organisms. However, archive studies indicate fraud and misbehavior committed by the commercial laboratories providing such research.