NEW YORK – Perchlorate, a chemical found in rocket fuel, has contaminated water and food and is more likely to be found in foods given to infants and young children, according to a study by Consumer Reports magazine.

The chemical is naturally occurring and man-made, but according to the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Agency, it is increasingly being found in groundwater.

Most of the foods contaminated with perchlorate were children’s foods such as cereal and chicken nuggets. James Rogers, a trained food and water microbiologist and director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports, was quoted by USA Today on Thursday as saying more on the issue.

According to the study, published last week, researchers analyzed 196 samples from 63 supermarket products and 10 fast food items and found that about 67 percent of the samples had measurable levels of perchlorate.

The three product categories with the highest levels of perchlorate are baby/toddler food, fruits and vegetables, and fast food. And according to Rogers, beef burritos, chicken sandwiches, and French fries are the three foods with the highest concentration of perchlorate, USA Today reports.

The foods tested did not contain dangerous levels of perchlorate, but Rogers said there is no strict definition of what is considered a “dangerous amount.”

Rogers said consuming dangerous amounts of this chemical can have negative effects on the thyroid. “Thyroid hormones affect metabolism, and poor thyroid function in this case can lead to type 2 diabetes.”

In adults, thyroid problems can lead to type 2 diabetes, but in children and fetuses, they can cause neurodevelopmental complications that “can lead to a reduction in children’s IQ.”

According to the FDA, high levels of perchlorate exposure can affect the thyroid in several ways. It can interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid, disrupt thyroid functions, and potentially lead to a reduction in thyroid hormone production.