(NaturalNews) Most health-conscious individuals are aware of the dangers surrounding conventional produce, but what about seemingly-healthy organic produce? While organic produce may not have as much exposure to pesticides, it could possibly contain a chemical used by the U.S. military that is also a key ingredient in rocket fuel. Perchlorate, a pollutant and powerful endocrine disruptor, has been found in 32% of organic produce and 16% of conventional produce.
Perchlorate has been integrating into the food supply due to its many uses by the military, defense contractors, and aerospace programs. Irresponsible usage of this chemical has led to it being found in drinking water, feed and edible plants, animals products, milk and breast milk, and both conventional and organic produce. It is so ubiquitous in the food supply, in fact, that it has been found in virtually all humans tested. The Colorado River is so thoroughly contaminated with perchlorate (1.5-8 micrograms per Liter) that 90% of the lettuce consumed during the winter months in the United States produced in the Lower Colorado River region contained the endocrine disrupting chemical.
In 2005 the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology published a study on perchlorate levels in North America. They found:
"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% of the conventionally produced samples and 32% of the organically produced samples had quantifiable levels of
perchlorate using ion chromatography. Estimated perchlorate exposure from organically produced leafy vegetables was approximately 2 times that of conventional produce..."
The shockingly-abundant presence of perchlorate in the food supply threatens the options of health-conscious consumers to purchase and consume high-quality
organic produce. Purchasing produce from local organic farms may be the best option when it comes to avoiding the chemical, but the problem must be addressed before perchlorate contaminates even more of the food supply. Irresponsible use of the chemical is what began its corrosion of the environment, and responsible action is the only thing that is going to cull its spread. Even more troubling is the fact that the percentage of
produce containing perchlorate may presently be much higher. The study that found perchlorate in 32% of organic and 16% of conventional produce was conducted in 2005. Peaceful action is necessary to halt the presence of this toxic
chemical in the world's rivers, forests, and food.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16475313http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15871231http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15969537http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/perchlorate-and-post-organic-eraAbout the author
Anthony Gucciardi is a health activist and wellness researcher, whose goal is centered around educating the general public as to how they may obtain optimum health. He has authored countless articles highlighting the benefits of natural health, as well as exposing the pharmaceutical industry. Anthony is the creator of Natural Society (
http://www.NaturalSociety.com), a natural health website. Anthony has been accurately interpreting national and international events for years within his numerous political articles. Anthony's articles have been seen by millions around the world, and hosted on multiple top news websites.
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