Quantification of Chlorate and Perchlorate in a Broad Range of Food Commodities, Including Baby Food, Nutritional Formulas, and Ingredients by LC-MS/MS: First Action AOAC 2022.06.

Background: Chlorate is an effective herbicide, but also a byproduct of chlorinating agents used to disinfect water, which is one of the reasons why it is regularly found in food. Perchlorate is a ubiquitous contaminant, which is naturally occurring in the environment but also released from anthropogenic sources such as the industrial use of certain natural fertilizers. Chlorate affects the hematological system, and perchlorate the thyroid.