Yahoo! News Story - CDC: Rocket fuel chemical found in baby formula

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CDC: Rocket fuel chemical found in baby formula

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe, Ap Medical Writer

Fri Apr 3, 7:37 am ET

ATLANTA – Traces of a chemical used in rocket fuel were found in samples of

powdered baby formula, and could exceed what's considered a safe dose for adults

if mixed with water also contaminated with the ingredient, a government study

has found.

The study by scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

looked for the chemical, perchlorate, in different brands of powdered baby

formula. It was published last month, but the Environmental Working Group issued

a press release Thursday drawing attention to it.

The chemical has turned up in several cities' drinking water supplies. It can

occur naturally, but most perchlorate contamination has been tied to defense and

aerospace sites.

No tests have ever shown the chemical caused health problems, but scientists

have said significant amounts of perchlorate can affect thyroid function. The

thyroid helps set the body's metabolism. Thyroid problems can impact fetal and

infant brain development.

However, the extent of the risk is hard to assess. The government requires that

formula contain iodine, which counteracts perchlorate's effects. The size of the

infant and how much formula they consume are other factors that can influence

risk.

The study itself sheds little light on how dangerous the perchlorate in baby

formula is. " This wasn't a study of health effects, " said Dr. Schier, one

of the authors.

The largest amounts of the chemical were in formulas derived from cow's milk,

the study said.

The researchers would not disclose the brands of formula they studied. Only a

few samples were studied, so it's hard to know if the perchlorate levels would

be found in all containers of those brands, a CDC spokesman said.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it was

considering setting new limits on the amount of perchlorate that would be

acceptable in drinking water. A few states have already set their own limits.

The EPA has checked nearly 4,000 public water supplies serving 10,000 people or

more. About 160 of the water systems had detectable levels of perchlorate, and

31 had levels high enough to exceed a new safety level the EPA is considering.

___

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/

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[Guest guest]

R. McDermott (chrzeerose@...) has sent you a news article.

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Personal message:

A little off topic, but interesting and scary.

Chrissy

CDC: Rocket fuel chemical found in baby formula

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090403/ap_on_he_me/baby_formula_perchlorate

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