Consumer Reports testing has found that a chemical commonly used in rocket fuel and explosives is found in numerous fast food and grocery products, including at high levels in baby formula.
The chemical perchlorate is manufactured for use in fireworks, rockets, airbag detonators, flares, and more. And while it may occur naturally in small amounts in some areas of the United States, high levels of it can damage thyroid function in humans. Pregnant women and fetuses are most at risk for negative health effects.
When an adult is exposed to high levels of perchlorate, changes in thyroid hormone can lead to metabolic problems and potentially increase the risk of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.
But in pregnant women, fetuses and young children, the thyroid
Changes can affect brain and nervous system development. Kevin Loria, who wrote the article for Consumer Reports, told Scripps News that the findings of high levels in baby formula are particularly concerning.
So how does it get into our food – and our water?
Loria said there are three main paths.
First, the chemical could be improperly disposed of or leak from areas where it is used or produced in high concentrations. This could happen, for example, at perchlorate testing and manufacturing facilities, at sites where rockets are tested or launched, or even at industrial farms that use fertilizers that are naturally high in the chemical.
This leak can flow into the groundwater and the contaminated water can be used to irrigate fields. This is one of the reasons why fruits and vegetables have the second highest perchlorate content after Loria, after baby and children’s food.
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The second problem concerns food packaging. Since 2005, manufacturers have been allowed to use perchlorate as an additive when storing dry foods to ensure that the products do not stick to the plastic. Experts argue that Loria says the food can absorb some of the chemical while it is in the packaging.
This could be a possible reason why baby food had the highest levels of perchlorate in Consumer Reports’ tests, Loria said. Many baby products, such as rice cereal, are stored in plastics that may contain perchlorate.
Third, Loria said bleach that sits around for a period of time can decompose into perchlorate. And when these bleach products are used to clean food processing facilities or treat drinking water, the risk of contamination increases.
According to Consumer Reports, none of the 196 foods tested – including 63 supermarket foods and 10 fast food products – contained “acutely dangerous levels” of perchlorate.
However, consuming multiple servings of foods with high concentrations can add up to a dangerous amount, and the presence of the chemical in so many foods can lead to increased exposure over time, especially in young people.
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What is being done to reduce perchlorate levels?
The chemist who oversaw these tests said the lack of information about perchlorate in our food was due to inaction by regulators.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last tested food samples for perchlorate between 2008 and 2012 and found no change in levels compared to the period between 2005 and 2006. However, Consumer Reports points out that the FDA allowed companies to use perchlorate in packaging as early as 2005, which led to an increase in levels in baby food.
And in 2011, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that up to 16 million people could potentially be exposed to “worrying” levels of perchlorate. In 2008, it had estimated the figure to be one million people.
For this reason, Consumer Reports and other food safety stakeholders argue that the FDA should revoke its authorization to use perchlorate in food packaging and significantly lower the limits it sets. Lowering that limit could lead to remediation efforts in areas with higher levels of contamination, the nonprofit says.
