Diquat is banned in the UK, EU, China and other countries. The US has resisted calls to regulate it

The herbicide ingredient used to replace glyphosate in Roundup and other weedkiller products can kill gut bacteria and damage organs in multiple ways, new research shows.

The ingredient, diquat, is widely employed in the US as a weedkiller in vineyards and orchards, and is increasingly sprayed elsewhere as the use of controversial herbicide substances such as glyphosate and paraquat drops in the US.

But the new piece of data suggests diquat is more toxic than glyphosate, and the substance is banned over its risks in the UK, EU, China and many other countries. Still, the EPA has resisted calls for a ban, and Roundup formulas with the ingredient hit the shelves last year.

  • bigfondue@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    It is against our food safety laws to put inedible things inside of food. That’s really not that absurd of a regulation.

    • mmcintyre@lemmy.world
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      5 hours ago

      That’s just not true. Ever heard of king cake? And that baby ain’t even the only thing we put in food.

    • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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      8 hours ago

      Looks like kids outside the US are just smart enough not to swallow these things, then.

      And from the viewpoint of food safety, you put a rather impressive amount of things in food that other nations FDA equivalents consider inedible.

      • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        8 hours ago

        Why equate poisonous food additives to not allowing small toys inside children’s candy to prevent a choking hazard? They’re two completely different things.

        • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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          8 hours ago

          Small toys? Have you ever seen a Kinder Surprize egg? That yellow capsule is designed to be big enough so that kids can’t get it into their mouths.