Melamine in Infant Formula?
Women and mothers across the nation are worried about a news story that just broke regarding very minute trace amounts of Melamine being detected in infant formula that is sold in the United States. The formula companies are standing by their products and claiming that the FDA tests were inaccurate. This is a serious issue, you should know all the facts. The FDA has said that while there is NO SAFE ALLOWABLE amount of Melamine, the amounts detected are so slight that there should not stop feeding your child formula at this time, rather, contact your pediatrician or the FDA if you have further questions that cannot be answered by the links in this article.
Earlier this year the news story broke announcing that Melamine had been found in infant formula made and sold in China. The result was over 50,000 ill babies and sadly, a few dead babies. Melamine is a chemical with many uses, among which is the ability to appear as a protein when dangerously and illegally mixed into food substances.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there is NO SAFE LEVEL of Melamine in infant formula. A contradiction indeed, they are also telling parents not to overreact or change their baby’s diet at this time. The levels found are extremely low, however, you be the judge. The FDA has established a section of their website for Melamine information.
Yahoo! Reports from the Associated Press:
According to FDA data for tests of 77 infant formula samples, a trace concentration of melamine was detected in one product — Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. An FDA spreadsheet shows two tests were conducted on the Enfamil, with readings of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.
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.
The FDA said last month that the toxicity of cyanuric acid is under study, but that meanwhile it is “prudent” to assume that its potency is equal to that of melamine.
And while the FDA said tests of 18 samples of formula made by Abbott Laboratories, including its Similac brand, did not detect melamine, spokesman Colin McBean said some company tests did find the chemical. He did not identify the specific product or the number of positive tests.
Questions and Answers to you questions about Melamine. What is Melamine? What do I do if I think my infant formula contains Melamine? Melamine Information? Symptoms of Melamine poisoning?
Enfamil released a statement today saying that the FDA testing was inaccurate.
This is an original posting to 451 Press but is cross posted with Parent Extremis, and modified for this website’s audience.
