Posted on 12/01/2008 10:05:47 AM PST by Oyarsa
90 Percent of U.S. Infant Formula May Be Contaminated with Melamine; FDA Abruptly Declares Chemical Safe for Babies Saturday, November 29, 2008 by: Mike Adams, NaturalNews Editor Key concepts: Melamine, Infant formula and The FDA
(NaturalNews) Up to 90 percent of the infant formula sold in the United States may be contaminated with trace amounts of melamine, the toxic chemical linked to kidney damage, according to recent tests. The FDA's test results, which the agency hid from the public and only released after the Associated Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request, showed that Nestle, Mead Johnson and Enfamil infant formula products were all contaminated with melamine.
The AP is also reporting that Abbott Laboratories conducted its own in-house tests that detected trace levels of melamine in its formula products. Together, these infant formula manufacturers make about 90 percent of the infant formula sold in the United States.
Prior to these test results being made public, the FDA had published a document on its website that explained there was no safe level of melamine contamination in infant formula. Specifically, the FDA stated, "FDA is currently unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns."
Once tests found melamine in U.S.-made formula products, however, the FDA changed its story. As of today, the FDA has now officially declared melamine to be safe in infant formula as long as the contamination level is less than one part per million (1 ppm).
Astonishingly: The FDA has no new science to justify its abrupt decision declaring melamine to be safe!
(Excerpt) Read more at naturalnews.com ...
I would be interested to see what the detectable limit is for melamine. If they can't pick it up until it reaches 1 ppm, and test results on a particular lot of formula are <1 ppm, that's the best they can do. It could be there, but at undetectable levels, or it may not be there at all. The <1ppm limit may be the only practical way that the FDA has to address the problem. If they specified <1 part per billion, that would be better safety-wise, but if there are no test methods that can detect such small amounts, the regulation can't be met.
Breast feed, if at all possible.
Yuppies seem to be the most aggressive breast feeders. They spend money on high-tech breast pumps and store milk for later use. There always seems to be one new mother in the office stashing bags of milk in the break room freezer for later use.
It’s the lower classes that seem to be big on formula. The people in the store buying formula also seem to use WIC checks and food stamps.
Women who have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can have problems with milk production, if they're lucky enough to have kids to begin with.
This condition can has also been recently investigated as a cause of colic in kids who feed on the breast-milk.
Some use formula as their only option.
While my breastfeeding credentials are as solid as any woman’s, I think that’s a little unfair. Not everyone can breastfeed.
The whole world is afraid of China-made "black hearted goods".
Can you differentiate which one is made in Taiwan or China ? If the first 3 digits of the barcode are
690, 691, or 692,
the product is MADE IN CHINA .. 471 is Made in Taiwan .
This is our human right to know, but the government and related department never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves. Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products "MADE IN CHINA ", so they don't show from which country it is made. However, you may now refer to the barcode, remember if the first 3 digits are 690-692 then it is MADE IN CHINA .
00 - 09 USA & CANADA
30 - 37 FRANCE
40 - 44 GERMANY
49 - JAPAN
50 - UK
“but the dairy industry needs to hunt down the source of the contamination”
well one thing we know——the source is from CHINA.
My greyhound was one of the thousands of dogs that died from the melamine scandal. They LIED to us about the dog food! It is all about the money.
Country of Origin......
Not entirely true see snopes:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/barcodes.asp
Did you expect him to say his employer is sloppy and lax? I've yet to encounter a professional/technical/administrative employee (non union) who would say anything like that.
The company may, in fact, be highly responsible and vigilant. The problem is that when big potential costs come up, affecting profitability, actions don't always follow stated goals.
Well....that figures...it would be too easy for consumers!
</Snark>
I would not feed them anything made in China; it is unconsionable our baby forumula is being manufactured in China. This is the same compound that killed all out pets last year and the FDA looked the other way on that as well. What is so scary about this is they cannot determine melanine from protein in the formula (according to a report on Fox news this weekend)...
Personally, I would make my own baby food and baby formula’s...
I breast fed my second child for only nine months. The little darling was a biter. I tried formula and she cried and threw it up. This was 30 years ago. Too young for cows milk, we lived near a dairy that sold goats milk. My little darling loved it! She drank it until she went to school. Actually, goats milk is better for children than formula or cows but never than Mama!
I would be amazed if it didn't.
There’s a great book called, “So That’s What They’re For,” that was my breast feeding bible. It really kept me motivated when nursing was difficult — lots of humor plus really sound advice. God Bless! Even if you do run in to some hiccoughs, most problems are completely fixable.
To my knowledge, the remaining ten percent was determined to not be traced with melamine.
But, of course, one never knows if one’s can of formula is in the 90% that does have traces, or the 10% which doesn’t.
The level of melamine is by no means as high as the level which Chinese products had in their formula—but a lack of immediate signs of health hazards doesn’t mean that melamine won’t cause kidney problems, etc years down the road.
That would be a bit difficult to determine—even products with “Made in the USA” could conceivably have ingredients from China.
You and your (daughter? daughter in law?) might be interested in the recipe for homemade baby formula here:
http://reliableanswers.com/med/homemade_baby_formula.asp
and see also:
“Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula”
Thank you for that, I will get this for my Daughter in law!
You’re welcome. :-)
Here’s another recipe I found:
“Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula”
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