A startling new investigation by Consumer Reports reveals that a key ingredient used in rocket fuel is present in a wide variety of foods we consume daily, particularly in baby food, fast food, and fresh produce.
Perchlorate, a chemical involved in the manufacture of rocket fuel and fireworks, has been associated with thyroid issues in adults and brain damage in fetuses and newborns.
Consumer Reports discovered perchlorate in roughly 67% of nearly 200 samples of supermarket and fast food items it analyzed.
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"We found the highest perchlorate levels in certain fast foods and produce items, but most concerning was that baby and kid foods had the highest average levels," the consumer-advocate organization stated in its report on Wednesday. "Some of the baby and kid foods we tested contained levels of perchlorate that could quickly accumulate to a troubling amount."
The detected levels ranged from just over 2 to 79 parts per billion—levels that aren't immediately harmful but could pose a risk if exposure accumulates over time.
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