The debate between formula feeding and breastfeeding is one of the most heated debates in all of mommyhood. Without getting into that debate here, I wanted to share news about a CDC study that found a chemical in formula that is also used in rocket fuel. The chemical being researched is perchlorate.
In the new study, CDC scientists tested 15 brands of infant formula and found perchlorate in all of them. The names of the brands weren’t revealed because the CDC says the study “was not designed to compare brands.” But the study does say that the formulas with the highest perchlorate levels are the most popular. The most contaminated brands were lactose-based as opposed to soy-based and accounted for 87% of the infant formulas on the market in 2000, the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The problem becomes worse when formula containing perchlorate is mixed with water that also contains this toxic chemical. For more information, read the entire story: CDC Study Finds Rocket Fuel Chemical in Baby Formula available on the ProPublica website.
For more information about perchlorate, read ToxGuide for Perchlorates and Perchlorate Salts (PDF).
