Rocket fuel in our food

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Rocket fuel and mac and cheese may have more in common than you ever thought — so much that you might be eating them! — a new investigation from Consumer Reports has found that a harsh chemical actually used in rockets, bullets and explosives may be making a surprise appearance on your family’s dinner table with potentially dangerous health consequences.

It’s hardly a household name, but perchlorate is a chemical that helps rockets reach for the stars and, worryingly, our dinner plates.

Perchlorate can enter our food system through contaminated water used to irrigate crops and through plastics used to store food.

How serious is the problem? Recent tests by Consumer Reports found perchlorate in two-thirds of food samples. The highest levels were found in baby and toddler foods, fast foods and fresh foods such as packaged macaroni and cheese and baby rice cereal, and even in some seemingly healthier alternatives such as cucumbers and baby carrots.

Although no single serving exceeds the safety limits, multiple servings throughout the day can result in worrying levels, especially for children.

CR is of concern because perchlorate can disrupt thyroid function and potentially affect metabolism in adults and brain development in fetuses and young children.

CR has alerted several food companies, including major baby food manufacturers, to these findings. None of them have yet commented on whether they are aware of this and are taking steps to minimize the problem in their products.

And if you’re wondering if scientists have only just discovered that perchlorate is a problem in water and food, you’re wrong. It’s been known as a contaminant for years.

Although this problem has been known for decades, federal regulators have been slow to respond.

The EPA has now been ordered by court to propose limits for perchlorate in drinking water by November 2025.

So what can you do now to improve the safety of the food you give your family? Parents should be aware of these findings, but don’t panic. The best approach is to give children a varied diet of healthy foods to minimize potential risks from any single source.

Additionally, adequate iodine intake can help offset the effects of perchlorate. Foods such as whole grain bread, seafood, dairy products, and eggs will help you get your daily dose of iodine without the added sodium from iodized salt.

Perchlorate can also contaminate drinking water. Consumer Reports recommends checking your water report or having your water tested and adding a reverse osmosis water filter if necessary.

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