Melamine

Yesterday the news broke, that the FDA found trace amounts of melamine in one infant formula sample. It was quickly said that parents shouldn't be concerned:

"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." from here

I feel it was glossed over much to quickly. At first, the FDA wouldn't even let us know which formula had the melamine in it! Now we know it was Mead Johnson's Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. We also know that Nestle's Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron has trace amounts of cyanuric acid in it - which is a melamine byproduct and probably just as unsafe as melamine.

So why am I writing about this today? It's because in October, the same FDA that says this formula is safe and to keep giving it to our children had this to say:

FDA is currently unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns. In large part, this is because of gaps in our scientific knowledge about the toxicity of melamine and its analogues in infants, including:

1. the consequences of the continuous use of infant formulas as the sole source of nutrition;
2. the uncertainties associated with the possible presence and co-ingestion of more than one melamine analogue; and
3. for premature infants with immature kidney function, the possibility that they may be fed these formulas as the sole source of nutrition and thus on a body weight basis experience greater levels of intake for a longer time than is experienced by term infants.

There is too much uncertainty to set a level in infant formula and rule out any public health concern. from here

I believe the FDA should keep with the original policy and get this formula off the shelf ASAP. I'm not the only one either.

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.

"The FDA should be insisting on a zero-tolerance policy for melamine in domestic infant formula until it is able to determine conclusively based on sound independent science that the trace levels would not pose a health risk to infants," DeLauro said.

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." from here

We should not sit back and accept this. Please, please, if you know any mom out there who is giving her baby formula, please, let her know this information.

I firmly believe the FDA is putting our children at risk and moms need to have this information right now. I think moms need to speak out and let the FDA know that we will not sit back and accept this. We should be mad. We should be angry. We, who were so mad at the Chinese for the melamine that has harmed children over there. We, who shouted from the mountain tops to get the lead out of our children's toys. We, who rose up to get mercury removed from vaccines. Now it is time for us to rise up again. It is time to shout. It is time to get angry. And it is time to let the FDA know that it is absolutely in no way, shape, or form acceptable to allow melamine to be in our children's formula!



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