by Stephanie Phoenix, Social Media Apprentice, Healthy Child Healthy World

Smart phones are nothing if not useful. And in this day and age, most parents have one (and often a tablet, too). If we’re going to have these know-it-all devices, we might as well put them to work for us, right? Which is why we’re happy to present this round-up of great apps for parents that we’ve collected from the Healthy Child archives and our community. They range from apps that will help you create a healthier home to apps that will help you track development. Enjoy! (And, please feel free to let us know in the comments if we’ve missed any of your favorites!)

From the Healthy Child archives:

• We gathered some great apps a few months ago to help families eat clean and healthy. Check them out here.
• For new parents, we also like The Peaceful Nursery, which is a comprehensive guide to creating a clean and healthy nursery for baby.

From our Facebook community:

• Teresa and Colleen both love Baby ESP (Android) to help keep track of nursing, naps and diaper changes.
• Michelle: Yours! I think the GoodGuide will be great once it is built up. Also like Greenopia
• Estee: All of the EWG Environmental Working Group apps are good ones.
• Sarah Jayne: Total Baby (iPhone) Can track nursing/feedings, naps, diaper changes, baths, growth, doctor’s visits, milestones, and has a diary (plus more)…love it!
• Jenny: I love this app. Helps you to identify dangerous food additives and cosmetic ingredients The Chemical Maze

And a few great app suggestions from our Tweeps, too:

• MindfulMomma: @GoodGuide has a product ratings app!
• GoodGuide: GoodGuide’s new Transparency Toolbar!
• KimRosas: my Cloth Diaper Resources App for iPhone/ Droid

A few more apps that look great for parents…

• Parents of eco-minded older children will love Al Gore’s Our Choice app for teaching their children all kinds of important information about global warming.
• Web MD Mobile is a great free medical resource. Check symptoms, access drug & treatment information, get first aid essentials, and check local health listings on the go, from the most trusted brand in health information.
• If you’re potty training, have a small child, or are pregnant, SitorSquat is vital. SitorSquat: Bathroom Finder lets you know what bathrooms are nearby. They’ll show up on a map based on your current location, and you can see which ones are open as well as read reviews from actual restroom users. It also notes which restrooms have changing stations.

And, of course, there’s our very favorite app of all: Our own! Download our free guide to safer shopping that includes label reading tips, brand recommendations, DIY cleaning and care product recipes, and more!

Note: We do have one word of caution about these modern day conveniences. While these apps may be handy, there are recent studies showing that radiation from cellular phones may be dangerous. You can find information about the studies here. If you are going to use a cell phone or tablet, please be sure to do it safely – use headsets or speakerphones when talking and avoid keeping the phone directly on your body for extended periods. Here are ten ways to reduce your risk from cell phone radiation exposure.

What are your favorite apps?

What Are The Best Apps For Healthy Homes & Parenting? is a post from: Eco Child's Play

In lieu of carrying a giant cartoon bee from place to place, you can also help bees by participating in this year’s Bee-a-thon.

For more on the 2011 Bee-a-thon check out this article on NaturalPapa. And for info on what you can do about Colony Collapse Disorder, read “Silence of the Bees” on the PBS website.

Bee thanks you!

Follow the rest of the Hank D and the Bee series at JoeMohrToons.com. For cartoon updates and other green goings-on, follow Joe on Twitter @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Help a bee is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Related info (about DIY energy projects, not ESP)
From Treehugger: DIY Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (Video)
From Cleantechnica: Man Creates Homemade Biodiesel from Algae
From Mother Earth News: Do-It-Yourself Solar Heat
From Treehugger again: Ingenuity + Wind + Text Book = Home Made Electricity

Follow the rest of the Hank D and the Bee series at JoeMohrToons.com. For cartoon updates and other green goings-on, follow Joe on Twitter @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Mothers “no” best is a post from: Eco Child's Play

1. Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make with Your Kids:  Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make With Your Kids by David Erik Nelson

My nine-year-old is a scientist!  She loves to experiment and build, and the internet has been a great resource for her explorations. Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make with Your Kids is right up her alley.

Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred is packed with fun craft and toy-making projects for geeks on a budget. Inside, you’ll find illustrated instructions for 24 quirky playthings. Part I: Kid Stuff contains child-friendly projects like the Lock-N-Latch Treasure Chest and a PVC TeePee; Part II: The Electro-Skiffle Band is devoted to homemade musical instruments; and Part III: The Locomotivated showcases moving toys, like a muzzleloader that shoots marshmallows and a steam-powered milk-carton boat.

Each project costs just $10 or less to make and is suitable for anyone, regardless of experience level. As you build, you’ll learn useful sewing and carpentry skills, and the appendix offers a primer on electronics and soldering.

Not only is this book filled with great ideas, these projects are a wonderful way to spend quality time with your children.

I do have to warn green parents to use caution when approaching these projects.  For example, I would not use PVC to make a didgeridoo, let alone burn it. I can only imagine the toxins this would give off.  There are plenty of other projects, like NASA’s Finest Paper Airplane that are perfectly non-toxic.

Would I buy this product? No. $14.46 is a reasonable price for this book, but I am not sure I would actually use this book enough to justify the expense. I also have concern with the toxicity of some of the materials.

2. Cahootie Animal Planet Endangered Creatures

Cootie catchers are always popular with children. I fondly remember making them and creating different fortunes for the flaps.  Animal Planet has taken advantage of children’s love for cootie catchers to teach about endangered species:

Endangered Creatures Cahootie: You love animals and they love you. Come play Cahootie and learn all about the planet’s endangered creatures while you have a blast with wild, wacky questions and super cool fortunes. As you get to know these awesome animals better, remember our planet’s future is in your hands.

• Encourages creativity and stimulates intellectual skill development – also promotes self-discovery and empowering conversation
• 40 removable and interchangeable stickers with fun fortunes and thought-provoking questions all about your love of animals
• Made of pre-folded, laminated paper with bold, colorful graphics

I find the laminated paper to be difficult to play, and it makes a weird squeaking sound. The images and information on the reusable stickers is great for teaching children, and I am all for teaching kids about endangered species, but I see this as a toss away toy.

This is one of those products that irks me because conservation is vital for species preservation, yet this product is not made from recycled materials and is overpackaged.

Proceeds from its sales goes to Animal Planet’s R.O.A.R. project, which I commend, but I also get suspicious when companies make it seem like they are donating to environmental groups, but it is their own group that receives the proceeds.  R.O.A.R may do great things, but I think a certain amount of transparency is lacking.

Would I buy this product?  No. As I mentioned above, there isn’t much that is eco-friendly about it, but it is a good idea if you want to inspire your child to learn more about endangered species with a cootie catcher.  It would be very easy to make your own cootie catcher, print images of endangered species off the internet, and write interesting facts inside the flaps.  Involving your child in building their very own endangered species cootie catcher would be a great do-it-yourself project, and they would probably learn more.

3. Eat This And Live For Kids by Don Colbert, MD

I used to think it was easy to feed children healthy food by only offering them healthy choices.  I still believe this, but my two children have taught me it is not quite as simple as I thought.  My first child is a great eater. She tries new foods and eats a rainbow of color everyday with ease. My second child is more resistant to trying new foods.  He will often not even taste dinner and chose an apple instead. This is still a healthy choice, but I hate to admit it, sometimes he grabs himself a bowl of cereal after dinner (of course, it is organic and not sugary).

Eat This And Live For Kids is user-friendly with an appealing layout. It is full of information from toxins in food to what to avoid eating when pregnant.

Dr. Don Colbert provides a road map to help parents navigate the often-treacherous territory of feeding their children, from infants to toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary aged children…

Included are picks of the healthiest “kid-friendly” food items in your grocery store and many popular fast food and casual dining restaurants. As a result, this is an extremely practical guidebook that teaches parents how to help their children adopt a dietary lifestyle that will set him or her on lifelong path of well-being.  The goal is not to make eating a chore for your child or more work on the parent’s part, but to enable the exchange of old habits for new ones.

I love that Dr. Colbert says “Water is the single most important nutrient for our bodies.”  In my opinion, learning to be a water drinker starts young. We don’t serve juice or milk in my preschool program for this reason, and parents are encouraged to provide children with reusable water bottles.  Thankfully, Dr. Colbert also exposes bottled water for what it is:  full of toxins, less-regulated than tap, and often just filtered water from sources like the Detroit River (Aquafina).

Would I buy this product? Maybe.  It’s affordable at $7.15, and I really wanted to dislike it.  It’s part of a whole series and marketing for Dr. Colbert’s The Seven Pillars of Health. In fact, it is promoted as a “practical guidebook for parents includes ‘Dr. Colbert Approved’ foods and restaurant menu choices”.  As much as I am annoyed by such name recognition marketing efforts, this book really is filled with great information for those trying to improve their health and leave the Standard American Diet behind.

4. Giraffe Bamboo Zoo and Organic Cotton Snowman Soft Shaker Toy

These toys are so adorable and soft; they make me wish I had a baby!  Made from bamboo and organic cotton, these are great teethers for your little one.  They are filled with a corn fibers, not polyfill that is made from petroleum.  A further bonus is they are machine washable!

• The new 9″ giraffe shaker is tall and slender, and easy to grab
• Rich natural luster and silky soft
• Stuffed with fluffy natural corn fibers
• Machine washable, made from bamboo viscose
• Adorable blue body with sewn eyes and face make it safe for baby

Dandelion Earth-Friendly Goods makes great affordable toys for children. I’ve been pleased with every product we have reviewed by the company.

Smart parents are more concerned than ever about what babies touch and teethe, and the Dandelion brand gives you peace of mind. Dandelion offers a sophisticated look while reflecting a back-to-basics, eco-conscious style.

Would I buy these products? Yes!  I trust Dandelion, and I love their products.  They are organic and/or natural, and they are affordable!

5. Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby & Toddler: From First Foods to Meals Your Child Will Love by Jeannette L. Bessinger, CHHC

Before opening this book, I thought why would someone need a book on feeding their baby and toddler. In my experience, it was quite simple. Whole foods mashed or cut to appropriate sizes and breastmilk, nothing could be simpler.  It’s been pointed out to me before, that my simple approach does not work for everyone, and if you don’t have a strong basis or knowledge of healthy eating to begin with, then it’s not so easy.

Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby & Toddler: From First Foods to Meals Your Child Will Love is packed full of useful information; my previous assumptions were easily dismissed.  My winging it approach to feeding my infants and toddlers worked, but if you really want to make sure you are meeting the dietary needs of your child, this book gives you all the information you need. From dietary requirements for vitamin A at different ages to quick charts on iron-rich foods, there’s a lot to be learned from this book.

To ensure that baby gets the best, most wholesome, and natural food possible, go homemade! The newest entry in the acclaimed Great Expectationsseries focuses on easy preparation of nutritious baby and toddler meals at home—from the first finger-foods to more than 130 delicious kid-tested recipes that will lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating.

The book teaches parents how to select the right food, set up a pantry (with a guide to key kitchen equipment), establish smart eating routines, and introduce a wide variety of tastes and textures. It also explores today’s most pressing nutrition issues: Should you buy only organic food? Is it healthy to restrict a toddler’s calorie intake? Is a vegetarian diet good for a very young child? Additional resources include information on breastfeeding and food allergies, as well as a comprehensive listing of whole foods companies and products that make healthy eating faster and easier.

Of particular interest to me was the section on soy.  With all of the information on the dangers of soy, I have not cut it completely from my diet, as other sources tout the benefits of soy protein.  Bessinger ultimately recommends:

We recommend avoiding concentrated forms of soy, such as soy protein powders and lots of soy milk. The best choices are small amounts of organic tofu, miso paste, tempeh, and tamari.  Older toddlers can also occasionally snack on the baby form of the fresh beans, edamame.

Bessinger also speaks to the concerns of soy-based formulas, including how they contain ten times the aluminum of milk-based formulas and 100 times the level of breast milk.

Would I buy this book? Yes.   It is certainly worth the $10.17 for all of the important information it contains beyond just feeding babies and toddlers.

Disclosure:  The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review.  Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given.  No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews.  The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

5 Green Products: Geeky Projects, Endangered Species, Nutrition, Organic Toys is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Related Info

‘High-fructose corn syrup’? Never heard of itMSG Disguised with Misleading Names

Clear Skies, Healthy Forests: Why Language Matters

Defend the Clean Air Act! (it’s 40th birthday was Tuesday!)

Follow the rest of the Hank D and the Bee series at JoeMohrToons.com. For cartoon updates and other green goings-on, follow Joe on Twitter @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Misleading Titles is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by laszlo-photo

Monkey mama's milk signals behavior and development

Have you ever wondered what your breast milk provides for your child beyond simple nourishment?  Animal research may expand our knowledge of the power of breast milk.

Studying rhesus macaque monkeys, researchers have found “that a mother’s milk sends a reliable signal to infants about their environment”.

How does one’s environment affect temperament and behavior?  Scientists have long debated environment versus genetics in human development, but rhesus monkeys may give us a new clue at an even deeper connections involving breast mikl.  Physorg explains:

Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of California, Davis are using this natural variation in breast milk quality and quantity to show that a mother’s milk sends a reliable signal to infants about their environment. This signal may program the infant’s behavior and temperament according to expectations of available resources and discourages temperaments that prove risky when food is scarce.

Published in the American Journal of Primatology, researchers analyzed the milk of 59 monkeys. Katie Hinde, the study’s lead author, expounds:

This is the first study for any mammal that presents evidence that natural variation in available milk energy from the mother is associated with later variation in infant behavior and temperament.  Our results suggest that the milk energy available soon after birth may be a nutritional cue that calibrates the infant’s behavior to environmental or maternal conditions.

Does this trait of rhesus breast milk carry over to humans?  Rhesus monkeys are “more distant from humans than chimpanzees or orangutans;” however, they are often used in disease research because of “genetic, physiologic and metabolic similarity to humans”.  It is also interesting to note that humans are the only primate with a “broader geographic distribution“ than the rhesus macaques. I wouldn’t doubt that human babies receive similar signals from their mother’s milk given the similarities.

Breast Milk "Signals" Infant Behavior and Temperament in Rhesus Monkeys is a post from: Eco Child's Play

The FDA is recommending Gardasil for boys, saying in a memo that it seems to be safe and effective in preventing genital warts in young men and boys. And guess what! None of the boys tested got cervical cancer! Kidding.

The vaccine’s maker, Merck, has been pushing for males to be offered the shot too, and gave the FDA evidence that, according to CBS,

Three studies of over 5,000 boys and men, Gardasil was 89% effective in preventing genital warts.

Check out the entire news story:

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On the CBS news segment, Dr. Holly Phillips also seemed pleased with the new Gardasil recommendation, saying that,

The vaccine cuts down on genital warts, and although those may not be life-threatening, they can certainly be embarrassing.

Soo…we should give our boys the Gardasil shot to prevent their pride being wounded by treatable genital warts? Might teaching them to use protection–which we should do in any case for anyone who receives this vaccine–also protect them from embarrassing STDs?

Later in life, there is also a connection with HPV and throat and anal cancer.

That statement interested me. We could reduce the risk of not just one cancer, but three? Turns out, of the 1,479,350 estimated cases of cancer this year, less than 5,300 of them are cases of anal cancer. The rate of throat cancer is higher, but smoking is the big culprit in those 12,610 cases.

Huh. Sounds like boys getting the shot to prevent these two types of cancers is right up there with circumcising a boy for the 2% risk of penile cancer he’ll someday have.

But what about cervical cancer? If both males and females are vaccinated against HPV, won’t it protect most women against cancer? Well, not exactly.

First, the vaccine only protects against two types (of 15) of the cancer-causing strains of HPV.

Second, we don’t know how long Gardasil is actually effective for. If we give 3 shots to middle school kids, will they be protected once they hit their wild college years?

No word yet on how long-term these studies were. Why might that be an issue? Because recently, one of the top researchers of Gardasil, someone who was very involved in promoting the vaccine, spoke out against it.

Dr. Diane Harper said of the vaccine and its safety:

Gardasil has been associated with at least as many serious adverse events as there are deaths from cervical cancer developing each year.

If we vaccinate 11-year-olds and the protection doesn’t last… we’ve put them at harm from side effects, small but real, for no benefit.

This isn’t simply a case of giving boys a vaccine to protect girls against cancer. I believe in the greater good.

But currently, we have no idea if this vaccine protects members of either gender from HPV past 5 years. Is that reason enough to get almost $400 worth of shots into every middle schooler we know?

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Gardasil For Boys: FDA Recommends Controversial Vaccine is a post from: Eco Child's Play

In the wake of the Sigg/bisphenol-A controversy, a top researcher and CEO of Environmental Health Sciences fills us in on the news: endocrine disruptors such as BPA and phthalates are indeed toxic at low-level doses, too. And they’re toxic in entirely different ways than at the traditional high-dose testing indicates.

The way the tests work today is we think that by testing at high doses we’re gonna see everything. So that once we get to a dose that’s intermediate and we don’t see anything, we’re golden.

But the science is telling us that at really low doses as contaminants mimic hormones. They can have effects that are totally unpredictable by what happens at high doses.

Pete Myers spoke to Living on Earth about the consequences of current testing.

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We know that by describing a chemical as “endocrine disrupting”, we are saying that it interferes with the normal function of hormones in some way. Currently, the popular notion is that chemicals are only problematic at high doses. After all, we are exposed to a variety of toxins daily and have been our whole lives. That whole, “And I turned out fine” line of thinking. But what does “fine” describe?

What hormones and these contaminants do is at very low doses they turn on and off genes. Genes are being turned on and off trillions of times a second throughout your lifetime. And the orchestration of that is absolutely vital to life. If the genes get turned on or off at the wrong time, that’s gonna lead to a problem. You’re gonna lack a protein that might be important for example in suppressing a tumor or in controlling the growth of your heart.

And the body’s control system for these genes is designed to function at really, really low levels… We’re talking parts per trillion to parts per billion to low parts per million.

Recently, news also came out that there is, indeed, still bisphenol-A in those “BPA-free” baby items. Those who reported it, like myself, were given a hard time by some companies for bringing the study to light. No, the BPA was not put there deliberately. Yes, we are exposed to it via numerous avenues. And yes, the BPA in the Health Canada study is at trace amounts, as ZRecs reported soon after.

But what if a “trace amount” is still harmful?

More research clearly needs to be done at low doses, especially contaminants like phthalates and BPA. Dr. Myers says that while the EPA is finally taking the first steps to investigate these chemicals, this stuff is big business. Especially BPA:

You do the calculation and it’s worth about $800,000 an hour. You can buy a lot of lawyers to defend your product with $800,000 an hour in revenue. But BPA is the poster child of this low dose debate.

Click here to read the whole transcript or here to listen to it via RealPlayer.

Image: Shazari on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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BPA: Low Doses Are Poisonous, Too is a post from: Eco Child's Play

According to the title of an article published in The City of Lancaster’s Outlook (Fall 2009) magazine “The Future Looks Bright for Solar Power in Lancaster”.

My small town,  all 475,000 of us, are at the forefront of solar energy! On August 5, 2009, eSolar unveiled the 5 MW (mega watt) demonstration plant known as Sierra SunTower. The solar power plant has 24,000 mirrors and two giant tower house boilers. The boilers create what’s known as “thermal solar” which is said to be more cost-effective than the standard photovoltaic approach used in solar cells. The process creates steam to drive the turbine generators. The project was completed in 14 month time frame and has already begun to distribute power to Southern California Edison.

eSolar’s site says “Sierra SunTower will supply 5 MW of clean, renewable energy to the grid. This full-scale power plant, the only one of its kind in the U.S., produces electricity for Southern California Edison (SCE) and will power up to 4,000 homes.”

Environmental Facts

The 5 MW output of Sierra SunTower will reduce CO2 emissions by 7,000 tons

per year. For perspective, Sierra SunTower’s annual impact is equivalent to:

• Planting 5,265 acres of trees

• Removing 1,368 automobiles from the road

• Saving 650,000 gallons of gasoline

The CEO, Bill Gross, has been dreaming of making solar energy the leading energy producer since he was young. He calls eSolar power plant an “economic miracle” stating,

“…the sun provides ten thousand times more energy than the whole Earth uses- but solar only contributes less than one tenth of one percent of all the energy the Earth needs.… It is the first solar plant that delivers the lowest cost solar electricity in history and finally competes with fossil fuel electricity directly, we currently compete with natural gas and as we continue to drive down the costs we will even compete with coal.”

The small town I live in is a “shining example” of how it will pave the way in the development of solar energy in America. We have the potential to become “the Alternative Energy Capitol of the World” as Mayor R. Rex Parris stated.

This project is going take our community in a different direction on so many levels.  Outlook magazine also mentioned this is the “first of many clean, green power generation facilities planned for the Antelope Valley”.

“The Antelope Valley may well be on it’s way to becoming the cradle of alternative energy for Southern California”

-San Fernando Valley Business Journal

To top it all off,  The National Geographic Channel recently aired a program about the eSolar facility and it’s construction.

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I’m hoping in the near future, I’ll get the opportunity to tour the facility and share my experience with you. I would’ve never guessed that my small town had the most clear sunny days than any where in the U.S. – Do you think it’s time to get that solar oven we’ve had our eye’s on?

[This post was written by Leslie Quigley.]

My Small Town Could Become The Solar Energy Capitol is a post from: Eco Child's Play

I first heard of Renee Dufault through Mother Jones print magazine back in June. In their “Children of the Corn” article, they named her as the researcher who first uncovered mercury in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

Even before this news came out, you may have already cut the HFCS from your family’s diet. But manufacturers are sneaky. There is the corn sweetener in things you wouldn’t even suspect: ketchup, yogurt, salad dressing. Actually, condiments are the biggest culprits when it comes to the mercury/high fructose corn syrup link.

So what did this brilliant researcher receive for her tireless work? Surely, a commendation, right? Nope. Renee Dufault is currently suffering through early retirement in Hawaii.

She was kind enough to discuss her research with me and the implications of mercury in high fructose corn syrup.

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–Why were you testing HFCS for mercury in the first place?

In Spring 2004, I was invited by River Network to give a presentation at their annual conference on the mercury cycle. As I was preparing my power point presentation, I started an informal investigation to find the missing mercury from the chlor-alkali industry. I interviewed a guy at EPA who told me Vulcan Chemical company was the only company on record to find their missing mercury. Vulcan Chemical got out the mercury cell chlor-alkali business shortly after my investigation but shared information with me on where their missing mercury went. Some of it went into virtually all of their products.

I interviewed Art Dungan at the Chlorine Institute and he told me that there is always some mercury residue in chlor-alkali products made from mercury cells. He also told me that mercury cell chlor-alkali products were approved for use in food manufacturing and provided me with the Codex Standards that said how much mercury was allowed in the chlor-alkali products used to manufacture foods. That got me to thinking about which food manufacturing processes use mercury cell chlor-alkali chemicals. Vulcan Chemical had a web page that said they sold their products to the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) industry.

I interviewed a manufacturer of HFCS and was told they preferred to use the mercury grade chlor-alkali or membrane chlor-alkali product in their process because both enhanced food product shelf life. The HFCS manufacturer was appalled when he found out his HFCS could be contaminated with mercury.

–Tell me about the results of your tests. What are the implications for the average American, which I understand gets 1 out of every 10 calories from HFCS?

Long term chronic (low dose) exposure to mercury (any form) will impact the body. How it impacts the body is under discussion. My collaborators and I have another paper coming out that will provide details. That is all I will be able to say at the moment.

–Who might be most affected by mercury in HFCS and why?

Children and babies in the womb will be most affected by mercury exposure in food be it via HFCS, sodium benzoate, food dyes, or any other product manufactured with mercury containing chlor-alkali chemicals. There is no way to know which food manufacturers use mercury cell chlor-alkali products or chemicals produced using mercury cell chlor-alkali chemicals.

The Corn Refiners Association claims they no longer use mercury cell chlor-alkali products in their manufacturing processes. Current international and U.S. regulations allow the use of mercury cell chlor-alkali products in food manufacturing. If HFCS contained mercury for many years as a result of the use of mercury cell chlor-alkali chemicals by the HFCS manufacturers, I believe there was no ill intent on the part of the corn refiners. They were in compliance with current regulations.

Nobody thought to look for mercury in food products manufactured with mercury cell chlor-alkali products.

–Manufacturers are still allowed to call their products “natural” even if they contain HFCS. In fact, after the news came out that there was mercury on high fructose corn syrup, president of the Corn Refiner’s Association, Audrae Erickson said,

They should know that high fructose corn syrup is safe. In 1983, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally listed high fructose corn syrup as safe for use in food and reaffirmed that decision in 1996. High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets FDA’s requirements for the use of the term ‘natural’.

What do you think of this?

HFCS is produced using chemicals through a refinery process. In my opinion it is not a natural product because it is made by man using an elaborate man-made refinery process that uses chemicals.

–Can you tell me about the lab you used for the testing?

I sent HFCS samples to several different labs and they all got the same results. The samples were collected in 2005 when some of the corn refiners were still obviously using mercury cell chlor-alkali chemicals in their manufacturing process.

–What was the FDA’s response to the results, first immediately, and then for your career with the department overall?

The FDA as an agency had mixed feelings about my results. Some individuals were not happy with my findings. I think they were afraid. Some individuals at FDA supported my work and applauded my efforts. There may have been some things going on behind the scenes to put an end to my work but I do not know this for sure. I did not have to retire early but I was discouraged from doing the field work that I liked doing and in fact told not to continue some of the research that I was doing. I found myself with lots of time on my hands. I do not twiddle my thumbs well. I need to be intellectually challenged and I need to feel like I am making a difference. I was no longer able to meet these basic needs doing my FDA job.

–There has been considerable criticism of the FDA following recent food recalls. From your experience there, what most needs to change in that department?

The FDA might better serve the public if FDA employee salaries were not paid by industry user fees. Continued use of industry user fees to pay for the salaries of FDA employees (FTEs) to review drug and device applications or inspect food manufacturers will ensure that FDA continues to operate in the current mode. Congress has allowed and in fact mandated that FDA operate in the current mode.

If taxpayers want a different kind of FDA, then they will need to make Congress change the way FDA is funded. In my opinion, FDA should be solely funded by taxpayer money. Who does Congress work for? If every person of voting age demanded that their Congressperson change the way FDA operates, then you can bet we would see some changes in priority.

We won’t see any changes unless Congress provides enough taxpayer money to pay for FDA operations and we won’t see any changes as long as industry is paying FDA “user fees.” User fees came about because pharmaceutical companies complained that their drug applications were not being approved fast enough. There are plenty of people at FDA that feel the same way that I do.

–Other thoughts?

These are my thoughts:

We need to follow Sweden’s lead and ban the use of mercury in manufacturing processes and products. Congress needs to provide FDA with substantial funding to conduct its own sorely needed research into product safety.

Image: terren in Virginia and Robert Couse-Baker, both on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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HFCS and Mercury: An Interview with an FDA Whistleblower is a post from: Eco Child's Play