Traces of Chemical used in Rocket Fuel Found in Baby Formula

The study was conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and seems to have focused on various brands of powdered baby formula. Although the study was originally published last month, it is making news now because of a press release that was put out by the Environmental Working Group.

It's very important to note that various perchlorates, which are salts derived from perchlorate acid, do occur naturally. Many, however, are produced through manufacturing and perchlorate is in fact used as an oxidizer in rocket fuel and other types of explosives.

At this point, there have been no reports of children getting sick from the chemical, nor are there any human studies at present on the effects of the chemical on the human body. For the past 50 years, perchlorate and its chemical derivatives have been used to treat thyroid disorders. Some are suspecting that elevated levels of the compound would likely have some type of impact on the thyroid function in the infants that are drinking the formula.

Roughly 160 U.S. water supplies of 4000 tested have also been found to contain significant traces of the chemical, although the EPA is also considering setting new limits on the amount of perchlorate that is acceptable in drinking water.

In the United States, formula manufacturers are required to include iodine in their formula, which naturally counteracts the effects of perchlorate.