I've covered perchlorate -- a chemical byproduct of rocket fuel production that is contaminating food and water supplies around the nation -- for a number of years here at the site, due to perchlorate exposure's danger to thyroid health.Now, a new study from scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that baby formulas also contain perchlorate. In a small study of 15 powdered formulas, all of the formulas studied were contaminated with perchlorate. According to the experts, the highest perchlorate levels were found in cow's milk formula with lactose, versus the soy-based, lactose-free or special formulas for babies with digestive issues.
The researchers did not disclose the brands of formula studied, and it's now known whether all brands will contain the contaminant. They did reveal, however, that the two most contaminated brands, made from cow’s milk, accounted for 87 percent of the U.S. powdered formula market in 2000 -- suggesting that the brands most families use are contaminated.
While we know that water contamination by perchlorate is widespread in the U.S., the study was careful to mix formulas only with water that was not contaminated with perchlorate -- meaning that the formula powder itself was contaminated with perchlorate. And, given that many parents will be mixing their infant formula with perchlorate-contaminated water, this has led the CDC team to warn that "mixing perchlorate-tainted formula powder with tap water containing even minimal amounts of the chemical could boost the resulting mixture’s toxin content above the level the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers safe." (Important note: Many scientists believe contend that the EPA "safe" level is already too high to actually protect public health.)
According to experts, concerned parents should make sure that their infants have a diet with sufficient iodine, which may help to counteract perchlorate's harmful effects, accordign to the hstudy's authors.
For more information, read the Environmental Working Group report: Powdered Cow’s Milk Formula Contains Thyroid Toxin By Anila Jacob, M.D., M.P.H.
Other Sources: Schiera, Joshua et. al. "Perchlorate exposure from infant formula and comparisons with the perchlorate reference dose," Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology advance online publication 18 March 2009; doi: 10.1038/jes.2009.18 Online
Photo: clipart.com
