Rocket Fuel in baby Formula--the latest scare tactic?

You may have heard, recently, about rocket fuel found in baby formula.  It sounds alarming and certainly makes for good headlines.   But the headlines are also very misleading.   I thought I'd try and put it in perspective. What was found in some baby formula are trace amounts of something called perchlorates. 

Perchlorates are actually in breastmilk too.  In fact they are in almost everything we eat and drink.  That's because perchlorates are in our drinking water nationwide. 

Why are perchlorates important?  Because they can interfere with the thryroid and its ability to absorb iodine. When the thyroid absorbs iodine it makes hormones which are released into the body and control metabolism.

There are several originators of perchlorates.  They can certainly be synthetically manufactured such as with rocket fuel and fireworks.  But think realistically for a moment.  It's not as if we use fireworks on a continuous basis.  And NASA only launches rockets from a few locations.  So those two things couldn't possibly cause perchlorates to permeate the entire country.  So how is it that perchlorates are found in our drinking water?  The FDA says perclorates are also naturally occurring in our environment, found in something called potash ore (a mineral deep in the earth), and also in nitrate fertilizer deposits stemming from fertilizer the U.S. bought from Chile.

So perchlorates are found in the grass and other foods that cows eat.  Formula is made form cow's milk.  That's how trace amounts of perchlorates were found in formula.  But think about it.  What about the milk you drink?  And what about the steak you eat?  And how about the lettuce and other vegetables you eat that may have been grown with fertilizer that contains perchlorates? 

The headlines "Rocket Fuel found in Baby Formula" are alarmist at best.  First of all, the trace levels detected in the formula are well below the reference valus that the EPA has issued.  If you read the articles you'll find that what's potentially harmful is mixing drinking water (which has perchlorates) with formula because that may make the level of perchlorates exceed the EPA's reference point.  BUT, it's also important to note that formula also has iodine in it, which can counter the effect of perchlorates.  That's more than you can say for most of the food we eat and drink.  In fact the FDA even says that formula and breastmlk are good sources of iodine.

But there are things you can do to make sure you're not mixing formula with perchlroate-contaminated water.  You can use bottled water.  And you can check with your local water facility to see what the level of perchlorates is in your community's drinking water.  If it's high, (the EPA has stipulated what's safe and some states have gone even farther), you can use a home treatment device on your faucet, but make sure it's one that specifies perchlorate removal.

Here's what not to do: panic.