I’m confused. Yahoo news is reporting that there is Melamine in infant formula. The FDA says that there is no acceptable limit for Melamine in infant formula. The FDA also says that we (parents) shouldn’t overreact.
Traces of the industrial chemical melamine have been detected in samples of top-selling U.S. infant formula, but federal regulators insist the products are safe. The Food and Drug Administration said last month it was unable to identify any melamine exposure level as safe for infants, but a top official said it would be a “dangerous overreaction” for parents to stop feeding infant formula to babies who depend on it.
“The levels that we are detecting are extremely low,” said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “They should not be changing the diet. If they’ve been feeding a particular product, they should continue to feed that product. That’s in the best interest of the baby.”
I get that I’m just a housewife (with a graduate degree) and I couldn’t possibly really understand what the scientists know…
Previously undisclosed tests, obtained by The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act, show that the FDA has detected melamine in a sample of one popular formula and the presence of , in the formula of a second manufacturer.
Oh forget it. Can I scream from the mountaintops? You are killing our children! I have two kids and a husband and without my kids guess what I’ve got? Nothing, not a damn thing. The FDA said in October “FDA is currently unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns.”
So what is it? Is a little bit of Melamine okay when it’s not your child?
Is it okay if the kidney stones are small?
Which scientist/policy maker/corportate giant is going to rock the babies when they pass kidney stones?
How much profit is there when you medicate the mothers who are mourning the loss of their children?
We were furious when babies died in China, are we only irritated when they’re deliberately poisoned here in the USA?
Where is the outrage? This is a failure and an abomination. For those of you who are even considering posting about how babies should ONLY have breastmilk… don’t even think about it. Not today.
If you have a baby, or a friend has a baby here are some important facts.
- Three tests of Nestle’s Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected an average of 0.247 parts per million of cyanuric acid, a melamine byproduct.
- Nestle’s Peptamen Junior medical food showed 0.201 and 0.206 parts per million of melamine while Nestle’s Nutren Junior-Fiber showed 0.16 and 0.184 parts per million.
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who heads a panel that oversees the FDA budget, said the agency was taking a “marketplace first, science last” approach.
- Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., a frequent critic of the FDA, said: “If no safe level of melamine has been established for consumption by children, then the FDA should immediately recall any formula that has tested positive for even trace amounts of the contaminant.”
- The FDA’s melamine guidance: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/melamine.html
[This post was written by Jessica Gottlieb.]
Wow. And they’re not even forcing Abbot to disclose which particular type of Similac is tainted? Un-freaking-believable.
Also, it’s not just Nestle/Goodstart. Also J&J’s Enfamil LIPIL with Iron.
OMG… I don’t even know what to say. This is a nightmare and regardless of feelings regarding breast/bottle, many children are formula fed for various reasons and we are being failed by those who we trust to provide safe products for our children.
The four month old I take care of is on Good Start because her Mom was unable to breastfeed. Now I am looking at the can on my counter wondering if it’s going to make her sick, or worse.
The FDA and formula manufacturers need this cleaned up NOW. It is an emergency not something to sit back and twiddle our thumbs over.
Great post Jessica. The FDA seems to have become utterly shameless in their lame attempt to even pretend to be protecting public health. I am soooo excited for a new administration and a real opportunity to push for better policies and better, stronger, appropriately staffed agencies to enact those policies. 2009 is going to be the year of the mamas!! The newest lobbying force to be reckoned with!
Jamie, I think I’d ask my pediatrician.
I’m so sorry.
I’m afraid to think of the other things the FDA thinks is OK to be on the market.
So what formula is safe?? I can;t believe the report has not been posted to the public.. How do I know what formula brands are okaY/ Let me decide if I find trace levels of a toxin safe in my babies formula ( no amount is safe in my eyes).. If something happens to children here from this they will get more then a law suit out of me.. Greedy corrupt gov’t orginazations and their profit driven corrupt partners are killing us…
i suggest that parents buy nature one organic ….its the only one i still trust…organic baby formula is better anyway …aside from melamine there are pesticides in infant formula growth hormones from sick cows…the medicine they shoot up cows with is called prosilac ..canada and europe forbids this hormone to be in their milk or formula…..not to forget many differen trace amounts of antibiotic ….in the 1st year of live all of this crosses from the blood to the brain!!!and there are definatly no save levels of melamine..america is willing to poison their babies in the name of capitalism……corporations have been more worth that humans in america since a long time ..its up to the people to stop this…buy organic earth best formula or nature one formula..its a couple of dollars more …i think we all should teach those gangsters a lesson……..support organic milk and formula…demand from similac to know what formula of theirs tested positive ..it seems the FDA protects ..abbott meade johnson..and nestle ..they care less about us and our children..and by all means breast feed if you can …also formula can be homemade …without melamine especially woman that have time ..go on green peace sites …they have it posted how to make your own..and all others buy from small organic companies
Melamine has also been found in organic baby formula, so that won’t neccessarily be the best solution:
Two batches of My Organic Baby soy-based powder formula had the highest melamine levels (. 334 and .346 ppm). The baby food company is a subsidiary of Vancouver-based alternative beverages group Clearly Canadian.
if any of you find a source for SAFE infant formula could you please let me know asap?
thanks!
(combine this email address so it all goes together with no breaks: out dora ble @ hotmail.com )
what organic formula ..stop babelling..if it was found in any than in similac…and they dont disclose witch one of theirs…..nature one guranties no melamine..in their organic formula……nature one does not buy anything from china,…and there is the key…….and nature one is american..and a small company..and only their coconut oil is comming from a latin american source ..believe me ..i called and had paperwork send from all of them nature one was the most forth comming…….
Oh gosh, I didn’t realize that there still comments coming in here.
I don’t know.
I don’t have the answers. I hate that I only have red flags and questions. Can I recommend calling your pediatricians and your senators?
I would still suggest trying Nature’s Own. I order it from the US (they don’t sell it in Canada) and there is something about the company that sits well with my mama instincts (which might be the best thing to go on these days). They seem to care about what they are doing. Check out their website and see for yourself. They have done their own testing for melamine and declare themselves untainted. Everything is made in the US.
My Organic Baby is the only organic brand of formula you can get in Vancouver. I tried it 6 months ago and it was disgusting. Tasted like rotten fish. Needless to say my baby thought so too. Again, my mamadar immediately thought “this company is just trying to take my money and doesn’t care about the product.” I felt the same way each time I read the 500 item long ingredient list on the mainstream products. One must be careful about the “organic” label these days. It doesn’t always mean what you think.
I imagine China carries a lot of clout:
“As of October 2008, Chinas Treasury securities holdings were $653 billion, accounting for 21.5% of total foreign ownership of U.S. Treasury securities, making it the largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries (replacing Japan in September 2008).”
Congressional Research Service Report RL34314
Chinas Holdings of U.S. Securities: Implications for the U.S. Economy
Wayne M. Morrison, Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance; Marc Labonte, Specialist in Macroeconomic Policy