Chances are you put it on your cereal, or drink it everyday.  In our latest Defenders investigation, a look at the chemical surfacing in milk and food that has lawmakers on Capitol Hill at odds.  This week, they’re battling over legislation that would mandate testing for a potentially harmful chemical that we found in Austin’s milk supply.

If there’s one constant in a school cafeteria, it’s milk.  It’s considered an essential backbone of nutrients for our most precious commodity, our children.

So, consider the federal government’s reaction when its latest test results revealed an unexpected ingredient surfacing in milk across the country:  rocket fuel.

The Food and Drug Administration has found the primary ingredient in rocket fuel, a chemical called perchlorate, in milk.

According to the federal government, perchlorate is contaminating water sources for more than 11 million people across the country, mainly in areas where the Department of Defense is manufacturing weapons and rocket fuel.  One of the theories is dairy cows are drinking that contaminated water, and, as a result, producing milk laced with perchlorate.

But milk is not the only concern.  Researchers have also found elevated levels of perchlorate in vegetables like lettuce and spinach, even breast milk.

Pediatrician Dr. Ari Brown says perchlorate is particularly concerning for people with underactive thyroid, pregnant women and young children, who rely on milk for their nutrition.

“In some ways, it's a scary thing because there's only so much we can control and try to protect our children from these hazards,” he said. 

So what are those health hazards?  Research is still underway, but some studies reveal perchlorate could cause thyroid tumors in adults, even mental retardation in infants and toddlers.  However, at this point, there’s not a clear cut answer.

“We're really not certain a child who is drinking milk with perchlorate is suddenly going to become mentally retarded or is going to have ADD.  Those are answers we just don't have yet,” said Dr. Brown.

There is one thing we do know for certain:  perchlorate is showing up in Austin’s milk supply.  We tested four different types and brands of milk, and all but one tested positive for perchlorate. 

To understand the results, you must know the Environmental Protection Agency has set no limit on the chemical in our environment.  But two states, Massachusetts and California, have stepped ahead of the EPA and set their own safety guidelines for drinking water.  Massachusetts’ limit is two parts per billion and California advises four parts per billion.

Here’s what we found in Austin:  organic whole milk had the highest levels, with 11 parts per billion, while two-percent had just over six parts per billion and one-percent nearly six parts per billion.  Soy milk was the only sample that had no perchlorate. 

We took our results to Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who is co-sponsoring legislation that would mandate the EPA investigate and set safety standards for perchlorate, beginning with water.

"I believe it's a nationwide problem with the federal government responsible for the activity that produced most of the contamination and we should move quickly to set the standard," he said. 

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And that standard, he proposes, would make perchlorate testing mandatory in Texas water.

When we checked in February, Austin water records revealed it’s been four years since city water was screened for the chemical and the city has no plans to do so.  Congressman Doggett says that should change.

“We don't want to be alarmists, but I think this is one of several substances in our environment that contribute to disease,” he said.

Doggett says it’s clear there are still more questions than answers, but the answers need to be found because the American government has spent billions launching rockets and we now know one by-product of the Defense program could be costing us what money can’t buy, and all of us are paying the price.

We want to be clear:  we are not suggesting anyone should avoid milk, or any other foods out of fear over perchlorate contamination.  At this point, doctors are only urging consumers to become more educated about the risks of environmental hazards in the foods you eat.  If you have questions, you should talk with your doctor.

Teresa Wagner, a spokesperson for the dairy industry, released the following statement on perchlorate:  “Scientific reports have concluded low levels of perchlorate have no effect on human health, including sensitive populations such as pregnant women and infants.  Federal health agencies are reaffirming the benefits of drinking milk far outweigh any risks outlined in current studies."

With that said, the Government Accountability Office released a report Wednesday urging the EPA and the Defense Department to formally track perchlorate contamination because, it says, “the current data is lacking.”