Breast milk also has safety issues? In a new study, scientists have found that the breast milk of some American mothers contains toxic chemicals in potentially alarming concentrations.
According to The Guardian, a study published Thursday (May 13) in the American Chemical Society’s scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology, the study The study tested the breast milk of 50 American mothers and found that each sample was contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). What’s more, the levels of these chemicals were nearly 2,000 times higher than the levels recommended by experts as safe for drinking water.
“The study shows that PFAS contamination in breast milk may be widespread in the United States and that these harmful chemicals are contaminating what should be nature’s perfect food.” Erika Schreder, co-author of the study, told The Guardian.
PFAS, or perfluorinated hydrocarbon-based and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large class of man-made chemicals that are widely used in food packaging, clothing, carpets and water to prevent stains, water and stickiness. Because they do not break down naturally and have been found to accumulate in humans, they are known as “permanent chemicals” (forever chemicals).
PFAS have been linked to a range of serious health problems, such as cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, and plummeting sperm counts.
The study, the first testing of breast milk in the United States since 2005, found PFAS concentrations in breast milk samples ranging from 50 ppt to 1850 ppt.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not set a safety standard for PFAS in breast milk, but according to the recommendations of experts from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental organization, the PFAS level in drinking water is 1 ppt. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that children’s drinking water contain less than 14 ppt of PFAS.
Although the researchers are concerned about these findings, there is no detailed in-depth analysis of how PFAS affects infants because of the difficulty of conducting studies on newborns. The study’s co-author, Sheela Sathyanarayana, a pediatrician at the University of Washington, said PFAS can damage the immune system, which can be particularly problematic for infants because nutrient-rich breast milk boosts their immune systems.
The study’s authors recommend that pregnant women and mothers take self-protective measures, including avoiding oil-resistant food packaging, stain-proofing agents such as ScotchGard, using clothing that is waterproof with PFAS, and cooking equipment containing Teflon or similar with non-stick properties.
In addition, the study found that PFAS contamination is increasing worldwide. international breast milk data from 1996 to 2019 show that while concentrations of older chemicals are trending downward, concentrations of newer chemicals are doubling every 4.1 years.
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