Please excuse my late entry into the discussion on fat transport and dioxins and other fat soluable contaminants in milk. 

First, I am a strong proponent of breastfeeding as the best nutrition for infants.  That said, it is certainly true that virtually all mother's milk contains low levels of persistent chemicals because we are all exposed to low levels in our diets and from other exposures.  We have a much higher body burden of these types of chemicals than cows, which are not exposed to the dietary and other exposures that humans have.  However, the risks to the infant from these contaminants in breast milk are extremely low compared to the increased risk of mortality and morbidity of infants fed artificial formula (see my chapter 5 on Transport of Chemicals to Milk in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology of Human Development, Kacew and Lambert editiors, taylor and francsis publ, 1997.)

It should also be noted that even with proper caloric intake during lactation, about 60% of the milk fats arise from maternal fat stores where persistent chemicals reside (30% from current dietary fat intake and the remainder of 10% from de novo synthesis in the mammary gland).    There is little one can do to reduce this body burden other than to limit foods and other exposures which are known to contain elevated levels of persistent chemicals, such as fish from contaminated waterways (ie, PCBs in fish from the Hudson River).  Remember, the body burden results from cumulative exposure over the years from the time we were infants ourselves.  

If you cannot find the book in your local medical library, contact me privately and I will mail you a copy of the chapter.  Judy Schreiber.   

Judith S. Schreiber, Ph.D.
Senior Public Health Scientist
Office of the Attorney General
Bureau of Environmental Protection
The Capitol
Albany NY 12224
518-474-4819 desk
518-474-9267 sec
518-473-2534 fax
email [log in to unmask]  

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