By
A component of rocket fuel that has been linked to serious health issues shouldn’t be in your drinking water or food. Yet new tests by Consumer Reports have found that the chemical perchlorate—which is used in rocket fuel, missiles, explosives, airbags, and certain types of plastic—is in a wide variety of fast foods and grocery items. The highest perchlorate levels we found were in foods popular with babies and kids.
Our new findings come decades after perchlorate was first identified as a contaminant in water and food. Yet the problem remains largely neglected by the federal regulators tasked with keeping our food and water supply safe.
Perchlorate can get into the food we eat via water that has been polluted by improper perchlorate disposal, plastics that are made with the chemical and then used to store food, and bleach—which can break down into perchlorate—at food processing plants and water utilities. Experts think that for most people, food is the primary source of exposure.
Of course, you don’t want a component of rocket fuel in your fried chicken, rice bowl or side salad. But it’s not just troubling in theory: Research suggests that people who are exposed to high levels of perchlorate may develop thyroid issues, including changes in hormone production. In adults, this may affect metabolism, potentially increasing the risk for metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes.
And it can have an even greater impact on fetuses and young children because thyroid hormone levels can affect brain and nervous system development.
While none of the foods we tested had acutely dangerous levels of perchlorate, some did have enough that several servings could add up to potentially hazardous levels. Plus, the presence of perchlorate in so many foods overall means that exposure over time is enough to be a cause for concern, especially for kids.
For years, environmental health scientists and advocates have implored regulators to set stricter limits on perchlorate in water and food. So far, action has been limited and hamstrung by multiple setbacks.
In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration denied a petition from several environmental advocacy and health groups that asked the agency to ban perchlorate in food packaging. In 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency walked back already delayed plans to set limits on perchlorate in drinking water. The agency was sued by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and just last year, a U.S. Court of Appeals panel ruled that such a reversal was not allowed. The Court ordered the EPA to set limits on perchlorate; the agency now says it will propose those limits by Nov. 21, 2025. Experts say the ongoing lack of intervention from regulators is especially frustrating because there’s little consumers can do on their own to lower their exposure to chemicals that are so widely found in food and water.
In the meantime, here’s what we found and what it means for you.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
