Over the past year, we’ve been gradually building a clearer picture of glyphosate residues in foods commonly found in New Zealand supermarkets.
We’ve independently tested breakfast cereals. We’ve tested honey. We’ve tested potatoes. Most recently, we turned our attention to flour.
Each set of results has answered one question, while naturally raising another.
Following the publication of our flour testing, readers began asking whether we’d ever considered testing wheat bran and wheat germ. It was a good question.
Although they come from the same grain as flour, they’re very different products. Wheat bran is commonly added to cereals, muffins and baking to increase fibre, while wheat germ is often promoted as a nutritious food rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Both are readily available in supermarkets and are popular with people looking to add a little more nutrition to their diets.
When funding became available to test another two products, we decided it was time to find out.
As with every product in our independent testing programme, both items were purchased through normal retail channels before being submitted to Hill Laboratories for glyphosate analysis using LC-MS/MS.
Rather than speculate about what the results might show, we simply asked the laboratory to test them.
Test Results
| Product | Glyphosate Level |
|---|---|
| Edmonds Wheat Bran Batch EW6 082 00014 Best before 23 September 2026 | 0.159 mg/kg (159 ppb) |
| Edmonds Wheat Germ Batch 89/26 Best before 28 September 2026 | 0.091 mg/kg (91 ppb) |
The laboratory also analysed both samples for AMPA and glufosinate as part of the analytical method. Neither analyte was detected above the laboratory reporting limits.
Putting the Results into Context
For comparison, New Zealand’s current maximum residue level (MRL) for glyphosate in wheat grain intended for human consumption is 0.1 mg/kg.
Because wheat bran and wheat germ are processed wheat products, we have not attempted to determine whether that MRL applies directly to these products. Instead, we are simply publishing the laboratory results alongside the relevant regulatory context.
We have asked New Zealand Food Safety to clarify which maximum residue level, if any, applies specifically to wheat bran and wheat germ, and whether the current MRL for wheat grain also applies to these processed products.
We’ll update this article once we receive their response.
Building an Independent Picture of New Zealand’s Food Supply
Every laboratory result published by No More Glyphosate NZ becomes part of a growing independent record of glyphosate residues in foods commonly available to New Zealand consumers.
Some products contain no detectable glyphosate. Others return measurable residues. We publish both because independent testing only has value if every result is made publicly available.
Testing Costs & Transparency
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Edmonds Wheat Bran | $3.39 |
| Edmonds Wheat Germ | $4.59 |
| Hill Laboratories analysis | $797.52 |
| Courier | nil |
| Total | $805.50 |
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 wheat bran and wheat germ 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.
