Many readers have asked us whether flour sold in New Zealand supermarkets contains measurable glyphosate residues.
Rather than speculate, we decided it was time to find out.
Flour is one of the most commonly used food ingredients in New Zealand. From everyday bread and home baking to sauces, pastries and pizza bases, it is found in countless kitchens across the country. Because flour is produced from wheat, it has also become one of the foods most frequently mentioned in discussions about glyphosate.
Four flour products purchased from Woolworths New Zealand were submitted to Hill Laboratories for glyphosate analysis using LC-MS/MS testing. Three samples returned non-detect results for glyphosate, while one sample contained a measurable glyphosate residue.
Flour Glyphosate Test Results
| Product | Glyphosate Level |
|---|---|
| Edmonds High Grade Flour Batch WGTN 262241 HG 09:36:18 Best Before 27 Feb 2027 | <0.010 mg/kg (<10 ppb) |
| Edmonds Wholemeal Flour Batch WGTN 262200 WM 08:51:02 Best Before 25 Nov 2026 | <0.010 mg/kg (<10 ppb) |
| Woolworths Plain Flour Batch 04:35 100 Best Before 11 Feb 2027 | <0.010 mg/kg (<10 ppb) |
| Woolworths Wholemeal Flour Batch 1519 009341 Best Before 16 Nov 2026 | 0.24 mg/kg (240 ppb) |
Testing was performed using LC-MS/MS analysis with a glyphosate reporting limit of 0.010 mg/kg.
All four samples also returned non-detect results for AMPA (the primary breakdown product of glyphosate) and glufosinate.
What Does “Not Detected” Mean?
Laboratory reports often use the term “Not Detected” when reporting analytical results. This does not necessarily mean a sample contains absolutely no glyphosate. It means the laboratory did not detect glyphosate at the reporting threshold used for the analysis.
For this testing, Hill Laboratories reported non-detect glyphosate results as <0.010 mg/kg, equivalent to less than 10 parts per billion.
About These Results
These laboratory results relate only to the four flour products and batches purchased for this round of testing. They should not be interpreted as representing every flour product sold in New Zealand or future batches of the same product.
Like all of our independent food testing, this project provides a snapshot of the products that were available for purchase at the time they were sampled. As more foods and additional batches are tested over time, the results will contribute to a broader picture of glyphosate residues across New Zealand’s food supply.
The purpose of publishing these results is simple: to make independent laboratory data publicly available. Whether a product returns a non-detect result or a measurable residue, we believe consumers are best served by having access to the evidence.
Why Test Flour?
Flour was selected for testing because it has consistently been one of the foods most requested by our readers. Given how widely it is used and the ongoing public discussion surrounding glyphosate and cereal crops, it was a natural addition to our independent testing programme.
This is only one round of testing, but it adds another set of independently verified results to the growing collection of foods we have analysed. As always, both non-detect and measurable results are published in full as part of our commitment to transparency.
Testing Costs & Transparency
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Edmonds High Grade Flour | $3.79 |
| Edmonds Wholemeal Flour | $3.79 |
| Woolworths Plain Flour | $2.00 |
| Woolworths Wholemeal Flour | $2.40 |
| Hill Laboratories testing | $1595.05 |
| Courier costs | $15.40 |
| Total Cost | $1622.43 |
Community donations help cover the laboratory testing costs, while No More Glyphosate NZ funds the remaining expenses associated with purchasing products, sample preparation and shipping.
This flour testing project was only possible because supporters helped fund the laboratory analysis. If you’d like to help us test more foods and continue building an independent picture of what’s in New Zealand’s food supply, please consider supporting future testing by making a contribution through our Support No More Glyphosate NZ page.
Image Source & Attribution
The feature image on this page was created by No More Glyphosate NZ using licensed stock photography and additional graphic elements, which were combined and edited in Canva for publication.
