Does Milk Have Glyphosate?

October 3, 2025 •

3 min read

Numerous official government tests, including surveys by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries in 2014 and 2015, have consistently detected no glyphosate residues in raw or processed milk. This finding prompts a closer look: Does milk have glyphosate, and what does the science say about its presence in dairy products?

Quick Summary

Multiple food safety studies and regulatory reviews indicate that glyphosate residues are not typically found in conventional cow's milk, despite its use on animal feed crops. This is attributed to rapid metabolism and excretion in dairy cattle, with minimal transfer occurring to milk.

Key Points

Cow's Milk Is Clean: Government tests in multiple countries, including the US and New Zealand, consistently show no detectable glyphosate residues in cow's milk.
Cows Excrete It Quickly: Dairy cows and other mammals metabolize and excrete glyphosate rapidly and efficiently, primarily through urine and feces, before it can accumulate in milk.
Human Breast Milk Controversy: Early, non-peer-reviewed pilot studies on human breast milk that suggested glyphosate contamination were later discredited by more rigorous peer-reviewed studies that found no detectable residues.
Not a Bioaccumulator: Due to its hydrophilic nature, glyphosate does not build up in the fatty tissues of mammals and therefore does not readily transfer to milk.
Organic is an Option: For those seeking to avoid all possible trace residues, opting for certified organic milk is a viable choice, as synthetic pesticides like glyphosate are prohibited in organic farming.
Regulatory Consensus: Major food safety agencies like EFSA and the US EPA have concluded that dietary exposure to glyphosate, including from milk, does not pose a health risk.

Understanding Glyphosate and Its Pathway to Milk

Glyphosate is an active ingredient in many herbicides, used widely in agriculture, particularly on genetically engineered (GE) crops like corn and soy that serve as animal feed. The potential for glyphosate to enter the food chain, including milk, is a concern for many.

How Cows Process Glyphosate

Research shows that dairy cows and other mammals effectively process glyphosate. They rapidly excrete the compound and its metabolite, AMPA, primarily through feces and urine within days of ingestion. This efficient elimination limits the potential for glyphosate to accumulate in their bodies or transfer into milk. As a hydrophilic substance, glyphosate does not readily accumulate in fatty tissues, further reducing its transfer to milk.

Evidence from Government and Regulatory Testing

Government and regulatory bodies have tested milk for glyphosate. According to tests in New Zealand, no detectable glyphosate was found in processed or raw milk samples. In the United States, FDA testing in 2016 also did not detect glyphosate in milk, although it was found in other crops.

The Human Breast Milk Discussion

A 2014 pilot study on human breast milk gained attention for suggesting glyphosate presence, but its findings have been widely contested by the scientific community, citing methodological concerns. More rigorous, peer-reviewed studies using sensitive LC-MS/MS methods later found no detectable glyphosate in human breast milk samples.

Comparing Conventional and Organic Milk

While conventional milk is consistently tested as free from detectable glyphosate, organic milk offers an alternative for those seeking to avoid even potential trace residues.


Feature	Conventional Milk	Organic Milk
Glyphosate Residues	Consistently undetectable or negligible.	Prohibited in production, not expected.
Animal Feed	May include GE crops treated with glyphosate.	Must be organic, non-GE, not treated with synthetic pesticides.
Herbicides Used	May be used on feed crops, but not found to accumulate in milk.	Synthetic herbicides, including glyphosate, are prohibited.
Cost	Generally lower.	Typically higher.

Expert Opinions and Regulatory Stance

Major health and food safety organizations, such as EFSA and the US EPA, have assessed glyphosate's safety in food and conclude that health risks from dietary exposure are very low based on toxicological data and exposure assessments. The scientific consensus is that glyphosate in milk is not a significant food safety concern.

The Limited Transfer Mechanism

Glyphosate's properties, being hydrophilic rather than lipophilic, make it unlikely to accumulate in milk's fat content. Combined with the rapid metabolism and excretion by cows, this characteristic further restricts potential transfer into milk.

Conclusion

Scientific evidence from regulatory tests and peer-reviewed studies indicates that conventional cow's milk does not contain detectable or significant levels of glyphosate. Dairy cows efficiently process and excrete the minimal glyphosate they may ingest from feed. While early human breast milk studies caused concern, more rigorous research has not supported those initial findings. Although conventional milk is considered safe regarding glyphosate residues, organic milk is an option for consumers wishing to avoid all synthetic pesticide use in production. For more information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's assessment of pesticides like glyphosate, visit the {Link: EPA's Pesticides page https://www.epa.gov/pesticides}.

Frequently Asked Questions

Concerns about glyphosate in milk arise because dairy cows consume feed crops, such as corn and soy, that may have been treated with the herbicide. The presence of residues in the feed leads to questions about potential transfer to the milk.

No, official government food safety tests, such as those conducted in New Zealand in 2014 and 2015 and the U.S. FDA in 2016, have not detected glyphosate residues in raw or processed retail milk.

Glyphosate is not fat-soluble and is rapidly metabolized and excreted by dairy cows, mostly through feces and urine. This process effectively prevents the compound from accumulating in the animal's body and transferring into its milk in any detectable amount.

The use of synthetic herbicides like glyphosate is prohibited in certified organic farming. Therefore, organic milk is an excellent option for consumers who wish to avoid any potential trace residues from conventional farming practices, even though conventional milk shows consistently undetectable levels.

While some non-peer-reviewed pilot studies reported traces of glyphosate in human breast milk, more rigorous scientific research using advanced detection methods has found no detectable residues. Regulatory bodies and animal studies also support the conclusion that glyphosate does not significantly accumulate in milk.

According to major food safety authorities, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), current dietary exposure levels to glyphosate do not pose a health risk to consumers. The levels are far below established safety limits.

Reliable testing for glyphosate in complex food matrices like milk uses sensitive and specific analytical methods, such as Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This allows for the detection of residues at very low levels.