I wanted to thank Laura Mundt for providing us with the website for the study 
on rocket fuel contamination.  It's interesting that this study hits the 
media on the heels of the AAP Policy on Breastfeeding.  A very positive piece 
regarding the AAP Policy on Breastfeeding made it into my local newspaper (Daytona 
Beach, Florida).  Of course this rocket fuel study seems to overshadow the 
positive news on breastfeeding.

I felt compelled to read the study and want to offer some comments.  First, 
the study is called "Perchlorate and Iodide in Dairy and Breast Milk."  If the 
concern is about infants and their exposure to perchlorate, why isn't infant 
formula part of the study? The assumption must be that infant formula does not 
need to be evaluated, only cow's milk.  This is an interesting assumption 
because according to one website I visited "the primary route of exposure is 
through the consumption of water containing perchlorate."
http://www.calscience.com/perchlorate.asp

Now let me see how do we make infant formula?  An exclusively breastfed 
infant may never ingest water until they are 6 months or older.  But the formula 
fed infant will be getting water, particular since most mothers use either 
powdered or concentrated formulas because the ready-to-feed costs so much.  So I 
would think that logically, exposure should be higher for the infant that has 
formula.  

The study states that "Breast milk is the sole source of nourishment and 
fluid intake for many infants."  Where in the USA is breast milk the sole source 
of nourishment and fluid intake for infants?  Exclusive breastfeeding is a 
rarity...its what I call an action so rare that it borders on the extinct.  

Of course this study comes from Texas Tech in Lubbock, an agricultural 
university.  So cow's milk would be a part of the study, not infant formula.   
Although there are some adjustments we have to make in making these comparisons.  
Testing human milk requires the pooling of samples.   Pooling samples reflects 
what?  The only time infants get pooled human milk is through donor milk 
banking.

There is alot to comment about, but I decided to focus in on funding of this 
study.  Funding was provided in part by Paul Whitfield Horn Professor funds at 
TTU,TIEHH CU-1235 and by Dionex Corporation.  Dionex makes testing kits that 
identify components of chemical mixtures.  Their products are used by 
environmental, pharmaceutical, chemical, petrochemical, power generation and 
electronics industries.

Although Andrea Kirk is called the lead author of the study in a newspaper 
article I read, I believe the person in charge of the study is Purnendu K. 
Dasgupta, last author listed.  I happened to read his CV that is posted on the web 
and he has received $12 in federal, state, and private funds.  Some of the 
private funds come from consulting with Dow Chemical, Dionex, Shell, Eastman 
Kodak, Union Carbide, W. R. Grace (company that was sued by  8 families in Woburn 
Massachusetts for contaminating ground water in which the families believe 
caused leukemias in their families-7 children, 1 adult).
He is the inventor to 15 US Patents.  By the way Dow Chemical is also a 
biopharmaceutical involved in manufacturing therapeutic proteins (human milk 
components are being used to manufacture therapeutic proteins).  An interesting 
coincidence.

Perchlorate is used in the manufacture of air bag inflators, electronic 
tubes, fertilizer, lubricating oils, matches, paints & enamels, photography, 
pyrotechnics, rubber.  The Department of Defense uses it in explosives and rocket 
propellant. 

It is I guess a sign of the times that we consider it acceptable science to 
consult for the very companies that will be impacted by your studies and 
testing.  Testing itself, test kits, are an economic opportunity that I don't think 
is fully understood by the general public.  How do we insure independent 
testing?  How can we trully understand the environmental issues of infant feeding, 
if infant formula is presumed innocent without testing?  How can we get good 
science, when the right questions aren't being asked?  How can we get good 
science, when the authors and owners of the testing are consulting for the very 
industries who have an enormous stake in the outcome of such research?
Valerie W. McClain, breastfeeding advocate   

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