Infant Formula Contaminated with Fuel Rocket

By Anna Boyd
15:34, April 6th 2009

When it comes to food, everybody appears to be in danger, from infants to the very old. Nothing is safe anymore and we are convinced of it every day. Just last week, the Food and Drug Administration warned people not to consume pistachios over fear they could be contaminated with salmonella. The news comes just weeks after another salmonella outbreak was linked to peanut butter and the list could go on.

Now, it is baby formula that gives us shiver thinking about what it could do to our little ones. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 brands of powdered infant formula were found to be contaminated with perchlorate, a component of solid rocket fuel, flares, fireworks and some fertilizers.

The chemical has been also detected in drinking water in 28 states and territories and at low levels in food supplies.

The CDC researchers tested four different types of infant formulas - those made from cow's milk containing lactose, cow's milk-based but lactose-free, soy-based, and elemental formulas, typically consisting of synthetic amino acids.

All commercially available powdered infant formula tested positive for perchlorate. Moreover, bovine milk-based powdered infant formula with lactose had a significantly higher perchlorate concentration perchlorate than soy, lactose-free, and elemental formulas.

Perchlorate can affect thyroid function, which can impact fetal and infant brain development, according to researchers.

However, Haley Curtis Stevens of the International Formula Council, which represent formula manufacturers, said “this study provides no data on potential health effects of perchlorate. Health authorities continue to emphasize that infant formula is safe.”