For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page, and our Food Safety page.

Perchlorate is a pollutant and powerful endocrine disruptor that is a key ingredient in rocket fuel. It can now be found in virtually all humans tested, and it continually makes its way up the food chain through ground and drinking water, into feed and edible plants, animal products, milk and breast milk. Perchlorate contaminates conventional and organically grown food alike.

A study on perchlorate levels in North America reported that:

 “Conventionally and organically produced lettuce and other leafy vegetable samples were collected from production fields and farmers’ markets in the central and coastal valleys of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Quebec, and New Jersey.

 Results show that 16 percent of the conventionally produced samples and 32 percent of the organically produced samples had quantifiable levels of perchlorate … Estimated perchlorate exposure from organically produced leafy vegetables was approximately 2 times that of conventional produce … “

It is no longer possible to believe that you can avoid toxins simply by eating organic, unless something is done about the conventional and dominant food production and distribution system.

Sources:
Green Med Info
Environmental Science and Technology December 15, 2005; 39(24):9391-7

 Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

 Who would have ever thought that when you go through all the trouble, time and expense of purchasing or growing organic foods that they could be contaminated with rocket fuel!!

 Perchlorate is a chemical used to make rocket fuel, fireworks, flares and explosives, as well as some bleach and fertilizers. It is also widely used in the defense- and pyrotechnics industries. Unfortunately, this chemical is highly toxic and capable of disrupting the thyroid’s ability to produce critical hormones, and it is now causing widespread land and water contamination in many parts of the world.