by Mary Jessica Hammes
April 08, 2009

When my then-infant son was growing at a rate considered larger than normal, my pediatrician made a joke. “What are you feeding him, jet fuel?” he asked. We both knew the kid was exclusively breastfed and had a little chuckle while my rather enormous son glowered at us and waited to be removed from the examination table.

Guess what? You can feed your baby jet fuel!

Well, to be exact, you can feed your baby infant formula that contains a rocket fuel ingredient. According to research published in the March issue of the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested formula, finding trace amounts of perchlorate in all of them (the cow’s milk-based formula had the highest levels).

Sounds yummy, right?

You may have heard of perchlorate already—after all, it’s pretty much everywhere these days.

Formula has trace amounts of it, but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of perchlorate contamination. In 2002, it was found in lettuce; the next year, in drinking water; and the year after, in cow’s milk. According to a recent New York Times article, perchlorate has been found in the drinking water of at least 35 states plus the District of Columbia.

What is perchlorate, anyway? It’s the salt derived from perchloric acid, a “superacid” (it has an acidity greater than 100 percent sulfuric acid) that is both corrosive and lends itself well to forming explosive mixtures. Perchlorates can occur naturally, and they can be man-made. They can be found in solid rocket fuel and fireworks, and they’re also a treatment for hyperthyroidism—which means that perchlorates interfere with thyroid gland function, and could hinder development in children.

Fine, so perchlorate is everywhere, just like a bunch of other nasty toxins that get into our food and water supply. What’s the big deal about it being in formula?

Well, the big deal is that mixing perchlorate-tainted formula with perchlorate-tainted water means a lot of perchlorate for little bodies.

What is that safe dose? It’s hard to say, since the EPA doesn’t regulate the amount of perchlorate in drinking water, because it has asked the National Academy of Sciences to fully investigate the issue; however, it is not yet known when the NAS review will be completed. At the moment, the EPA’s reference dose of perchlorate in drinking water is 15 micrograms per liter, and the highest concentration found in the CDC study was 5.05 micrograms per liter—keep in mind that this amount is just in the powdered formula; it doesn’t take into account the amount that might be in the water added to it.

If you’re wondering why the EPA hasn’t regulated perchlorate before now, read this Washington Post article from last September, which illustrates the six-year battle between EPA scientists pushing for a regulation and the resisting Bush administration. In that article, an obtained EPA document showed that over 16 million Americans are exposed to levels considered unsafe; the article notes that other researchers put the number closer to 20–40 million Americans. The article also says that the White House’s Office of Management and Budget at the time had deleted references to scientific studies in the EPA document that showed the link between perchlorate and thyroid dysfunction in infants.

Soon after the CDC study on perchlorate hit, the International Formula Council quickly released a statement, saying that the trace levels that were detected are low enough to be considered safe. “Parents and health professionals can be assured infant formula is safe and nutritious,” says the statement. “For parents concerned with the perchlorate levels in their drinking water supply, FDA recommends reconstituting infant formula with bottled water or water from a home treatment device certified for perchlorate removal.”

Unfortunately, perchlorate is not the only trace amount of toxin found in formula.

Last September, melamine-tainted formula in China sickened over 50,000 infants and killed four. Last November, the same toxic chemical was found in formula made by an American manufacturer; the FDA said that the trace levels were low and did not pose a threat. In January, a melamine byproduct, cyanuric acid, was found in some infant formula made in the U.S.

Meanwhile, according to the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy formula has been shown to contain aluminum, silicon, cadmium, genetically engineered corn and soy, MSG, phytoestrogens (endocrine disruptors), phthalates, and Bisphenol-A. NABA also provides a cheerful list of contaminants found in the water that’s used to reconstitute powdered formula, including lead, nitrates, atrazine (a weed killer), and bacteria.

Considering widespread pollution, wouldn’t it follow that breastfeeding mothers are also ingesting toxins and passing them to their children via the milk? Well, yes—but recent research shows that even contaminated breast milk is more beneficial than infant formula.