Pesticide Safety
Glyphosate in Cooking Oil:
What You Need to Know
Glyphosate is the world's most widely used herbicide. It is found in many cooking oils. Here is what it is, why it matters, and how Dune Aura approaches pesticide safety in cold pressed mustard oil.
Shop Dune Aura OilsThe Issue
What is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup — the world's best-selling herbicide. It is sprayed on crop fields to kill weeds. When used on or near oilseed crops, residues can remain on seeds and carry through into extracted oil.
In 2015, the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). It has since been banned or restricted in over 20 countries, including Austria, France, Germany, and Mexico.
In India, glyphosate use is regulated by the Central Insecticides Board. It is not banned, but its use in food crops is restricted. The concern is highest in soybean and canola oil from North America — less so in traditional Indian mustard farming.
Higher Risk Oils
- Soybean oil (North American origin)
- Canola / rapeseed oil (imported)
- Sunflower oil (Eastern European origin)
- Corn oil (GMO varieties)
Lower Risk Oils
- Indian mustard oil (Rajasthan/Haryana origin)
- Cold pressed sesame oil (Indian origin)
- Cold pressed coconut oil (Kerala/Tamil Nadu)
- Cold pressed groundnut oil (Gujarat origin)
Our Approach
How Dune Aura Approaches Pesticide Safety
We are transparent about what we do — and what we don't yet certify.
Traditional Farming Regions
ActiveWe source yellow mustard seeds from Rajasthan and Haryana — traditional mustard belts where farming practices rely on manual weeding rather than glyphosate-based herbicides. This is a sourcing decision, not a certification.
Pesticide Residue Testing
ActiveIncoming seed lots are tested for pesticide residues before acceptance. We test for the most common residues found in Indian mustard: chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin. Results are available on request.
FSSAI Certified Facility
ActiveOur Gurugram facility is FSSAI licensed. FSSAI sets Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides in edible oils. Our oil must comply with these limits to be sold legally in India.
Third-Party Glyphosate Certification
In progressWe do not currently hold a formal "Certified Glyphosate-Free" third-party certification. We are transparent about this. We test for residues and source from low-risk regions — but we will not claim a certification we have not earned.
Comparison
Pesticide Safety: Dune Aura vs National Brands
| Factor | Dune Aura | Mass Market Brands | National D2C Brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed origin disclosed | ✓ Rajasthan/Haryana | ✗ Not disclosed | ✓ Some disclose |
| Pesticide residue testing | ✓ Every lot | ✗ FSSAI compliance only | ✓ Most test |
| Glyphosate-free certified | — Testing only | ✗ No | ✓ Some certified |
| Cold pressed (no hexane) | ✓ Yes | ✗ Solvent extracted | ✓ Yes |
| Local manufacturing | ✓ Gurgaon | ✗ Contract mfg | ✗ Pune/Mumbai |
| Facility visit possible | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Price per litre | ₹299 | ₹120–180 | ₹395–500 |
FAQ
Glyphosate & Pesticide FAQ
What is glyphosate and why is it found in cooking oil?
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup and other broad-spectrum herbicides. It is used to kill weeds in crop fields. When sprayed on or near oilseed crops (mustard, soybean, sunflower), residues can remain on the seeds and carry through into the extracted oil. The WHO's IARC classified glyphosate as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' in 2015. It has been banned or restricted in 20+ countries.
Is glyphosate used in Indian mustard farming?
Glyphosate use in Indian agriculture is regulated but not banned. It is used as a pre-harvest desiccant in some wheat and oilseed crops. Traditional mustard farming in Rajasthan and Haryana — where Dune Aura sources seeds — relies primarily on manual weeding and does not use glyphosate-based herbicides as a standard practice. This is one reason we source from these regions specifically.
Is Dune Aura mustard oil certified glyphosate-free?
We do not currently hold a formal third-party "Certified Glyphosate-Free" certification. We source from traditional farming regions in Rajasthan and Haryana where glyphosate use is not standard practice, and we test seed lots for pesticide residues before acceptance. We are transparent about this distinction — we do not claim a certification we have not earned.
How do I check if a cooking oil has pesticide residues?
Consumer-level testing is not practical. The best proxies are: (1) source transparency — does the brand tell you exactly where seeds come from? (2) farming region — traditional mustard belts in Rajasthan/Haryana use fewer synthetic inputs than commercial farming regions. (3) third-party certifications — look for FSSAI, Agmark, or independent lab reports the brand publishes. (4) cold pressing — solvent extraction can concentrate residues; cold pressing at low temperature does not add chemical inputs.
What pesticides are most commonly found in Indian mustard oil?
The most commonly detected pesticide residues in Indian mustard oil include chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin — insecticides used against aphids and other pests in mustard crops. Glyphosate residues are less common in Indian mustard than in soybean or canola from North America. FSSAI sets Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for these compounds.
Why is cold pressing better for pesticide safety?
Cold pressing does not add any chemical inputs to the oil. Solvent extraction uses hexane — a petroleum-derived solvent — which is then evaporated off, but trace residues can remain. Cold pressed oil has only one input: the seed. If the seed is clean, the oil is clean. This is why seed sourcing transparency matters more for cold pressed oil than for refined oil.
Cold Pressed. Tested. Transparent.
Mustard oil from ₹150 · Sourced from Rajasthan · Made in Gurgaon
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