Cited by 402Pesticide Exposure and ToxicityAgricultural safety and regulationsCarcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment

Glyphosate toxicity and carcinogenicity: a review of the scientific basis of the European Union assessment and its differences with IARC

Open access
Tarazona, Jose V., Court-Marques, Daniele, Tiramani, Manuela, Reich, Hermine, Pfeil, Rudolf, Istace, Frederique, Crivellente, Federica·2017·Archives of Toxicology

Abstract

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide. It is a broad spectrum herbicide and its agricultural uses increased considerably after the development of glyphosate-resistant genetically modified (GM) varieties. Since glyphosate was introduced in 1974, all regulatory assessments have established that glyphosate has low hazard potential to mammals, however, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded in March 2015 that it is probably carcinogenic. The IARC conclusion was not confirmed by the EU assessment or the recent joint WHO/FAO evaluation, both using additional evidence. Glyphosate is not the first topic of disagreement between IARC and regulatory evaluations, but has received greater attention. This review presents the scientific basis of the glyphosate health assessment conducted within the European Union (EU) renewal process, and explains the differences in the carcinogenicity assessment with IARC. Use of different data sets, particularly on long-term toxicity/carcinogenicity in rodents, could partially explain the divergent views; but methodological differences in the evaluation of the available evidence have been identified. The EU assessment did not identify a carcinogenicity hazard, revised the toxicological profile proposing new toxicological reference values, and conducted a risk assessment for some representatives uses. Two complementary exposure assessments, human-biomonitoring and food-residues-monitoring, suggests that actual exposure levels are below these reference values and do not represent a public concern.

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  • Some glyphosate formulations have antibacterial properties.

    “Glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide (Cuhra et al., 2016), inhibits microbial enzymes (5enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase), and some glyphosate formulations do have antibacterial properties (Tarazona et al., 2017).”

    From Gut reactions: Breaking down xenobiotic–microbiome interactions (2019) · cites this paper as Tarazona et al., 2017

  • Glyphosate inhibits the microbial enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase.

    “Glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide (Cuhra et al., 2016), inhibits microbial enzymes (5enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase), and some glyphosate formulations do have antibacterial properties (Tarazona et al., 2017).”

    From Gut reactions: Breaking down xenobiotic–microbiome interactions (2019) · cites this paper as Tarazona et al., 2017

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. OECD (2012) Guidance document 116 on the conduct and design of chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity studies, supporting test guidelines 451, 452 and 453 2nd edition. Series on testing and assessment no. 116. Env/jm/mono(2011)47.
  2. United Nations (2003) Globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (ghs), first edition. United nations, new york and geneva.

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Authors
Tarazona, J. V., Court-Marques, D., Tiramani, M., Reich, H., Pfeil, R., Istace, F., & Crivellente, F.
Affiliations
  • European Food Safety Authority (IT)
  • German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) (DE)
Venue
Archives of Toxicology
Published
2017-04-03
Volume
91
Issue
8
Pages
2723-2743
ISSN
  • 0340-5761 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-0738
OpenAlex
W2604431924
Cited by
402
References
89
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 73 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 8
FWCI
4.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Archives of Toxicology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OpenAgrar (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Agricultural safety and regulations
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment
Keywords
glyphosate, herbicides, carcinogenicity, IARC classification, regulatory toxicology, toxicological reference values, human biomonitoring, food residues, genetically modified crops, glyphosate-resistant crops, exposure assessment
MeSH terms
Glyphosate, Animals, Carcinogens, Environmental Monitoring, European Union, Glycine, Herbicides, Humans, International Agencies, Reference Values, Rodentia, Time Factors, Risk Assessment, Toxicity Tests

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