Thread: China Baby Food Research Needed

Does anyone have the time to pull up some web info and get on the phones to scan the top brands of baby forumula in America for any manufacture or components coming from China.

A great deal of people would appreciate this because we may find out later that there is poison in our baby forumla like the dog food.

Anyone got the time for this research project on behalf of all Americans with children that are terrified right now?

W

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baby formula from China is illegal in the United States and should not be used, U.S. regulators warned on Thursday after Chinese officials blamed tainted formula for the death of an infant.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said it was possible that some formula from China may have slipped into markets serving Chinese consumers in the United States even though its sales are prohibited.

The agency advised consumers not to purchase or use baby formula from China if they do see it.

"We have some concerns that there may be some supplies of infant formula that may have gotten into the country illegally and may be in specialty markets that serve the Chinese community," Janice Oliver, deputy director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in an interview.

An FDA probe in 2004 found Chinese formula on the shelves of an ethnic retailer in the United States, Oliver said. The FDA has no evidence of Chinese supplies in U.S. stores now.

Chinese authorities on Thursday said tainted, milk-based formula killed one baby and caused kidney stones in dozens of others who may have drunk the same product.

Contaminants were found in Sanlu-brand milk formula, China's Ministry of Health said. The Sanlu Group recalled milk formula made before August 6.

The FDA's Oliver said agency officials were concerned the Chinese formula may be tainted with melamine, the contaminant found in pet food ingredients from China and linked to the deaths and illnesses of hundreds of cats and dogs in 2007.

U.S.-approved baby formula is safe, Oliver said. The FDA contacted the five approved makers of milk-based formula and was told they do not use ingredients from China, she said.

"There is no threat of contamination in the domestic supply of infant formula," Oliver said.

The U.S.-approved makers of milk-based baby formula are Abbott Nutrition, Bristol-Myers Squibb unit MeadJohnson Nutritionals, Nestle USA, PBM Nutritionals and Solus Products.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Gary Hill)
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=avo ... ade-baby-f

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0 CommentsFDA: Infant formula from China tainted by chemical
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 09/11/2008 12:29:24 PM MDT


Click photo to enlarge
In this photo released by China's Xihua News Agency, two babies... ((AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhu Guoliang))
«1»WASHINGTON—Tainted infant formula from China may be on sale at ethnic groceries in this country, even though it is not approved for importation, federal officials warned on Thursday.
However, the Food and Drug Administration stressed that the domestic supply of infant formula is safe.

FDA officials are urging U.S. consumers to avoid all infant formula from China, after several brands sold in that country came under suspicion of being contaminated with melamine, a chemical used in plastics. Officials said there have been reports from China of babies developing kidney stones as a result. There have been no reports of illnesses in the U.S.

"We're concerned that there may be some infant formula that may have gotten into the United States illegally and may be on the ethnic market," said Janice Oliver, deputy director of the FDA's food safety program. "No infant formula from China should be entering the United States, but in the past we have found it on at least one occasion."

After hearing of the latest food safety scandal in China, the FDA checked with formula manufacturers who have approval to market here. But none receive formula or ingredients from China. Formula manufacturers get close scrutiny from the government. They are required to register with the FDA and comply with specific nutritional standards.

"We want to assure the American public there is no threat of contamination to the domestic supply," said Oliver.

But officials are concerned that some Chinese formula may be on sale at Asian groceries, particularly in places like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston that have large numbers of Chinese immigrants. The FDA is working with state officials to spread the word in immigrant communities to remove any Chinese formula from store shelves and to warn consumers not to feed it to their children.

"We want people in those communities, if they are in the habit of buying those Chinese products, not to use them," said FDA spokeswoman Judy Leon. "We are doing this to be proactive."

Melamine is the same chemical involved in a massive pet food recall last year. It is not supposed to be added to any food ingredients, but unscrupulous suppliers in China sometimes mix it in to make foodstuffs appear to be high in protein. Melamine is nitrogen rich, and standard tests for protein in bulk food ingredients measure levels of nitrogen.



http://www.denverpost.com/healthcare/ci_10437749

I know that the formula is safe, but I wonder where baby foods are manufactured? I'm talking about Beechnut, Gerber, etc. rice cereal, oatmeal, pureed jarred foods (fruits and veggies). I can't find any information on that but I wouldn't be surprised if some of them are made in China. I think Nestle owns most of the market. I can't find any information online. I wonder if the labels list the manufacturing location. The next time I go to the store I will check it out.

Something I never thought about when my kids were eating baby food but I notice now that I can't find fruit cups for them that are not from China. Hmm....

Do we know the formula is safe?

I don't trust anyone. I'm thinking it is possible to either relabel, or repackage chinese products.

Not quite the same thing, but remember some years ago when a group bought up outdated baby formula that was sold to be used only for animal food. They wiped off the expiration dates and had the machine to put new dates on them.

There were selling mostly to small groceries and convenience style markets.

It is scary that we have such a huge behemoth of a government, many agencies that are supposed to be enforcing the laws, the health regulations, in other words protecting us, and nothing seems safe any more.

I just read about some chairs that were shipped to France and it caused horrible skin problems when people sat in them.

It was a little farfetched some time ago, but getting more and more possible. A good way to bring a nation down would be to infect products.
Think if all or just some of the clothing made in China was exposed to something toxic or hamful.

I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen making baby food as I did for my son and did for the grandkids. I got on the organic and local market kick quite a few years ago, and grow everything I can on my tiny plot, so I know no chemicals are being used.
In the grocery, as I was buying Pedigree for the dog, it is amazing the amount of stuff that is put into once can of dogfood. My question is where the pudding do all the ingredients come from?
As far as eating shrimp, an article from the Wall Street Journal said 88 percent were imported from Chinese fish farms, and the only way they could keep the shrimp alive was with antibiotics, many of which are banned in this country.
Here is the Google search, just on shrimp:
http://www.google.com/search?q=chine...e=utf8&oe=utf8

WILLIAM:


This is from Safeway.com. It is the label for Similac Neosure Infant Formula. Problem is that is does not say where the actual ingredients are from. Just says where the company is located. The company is in USA. But that does not mean all the ingredients are from USA, or that the formula is even made in USA.

Description:

Infant Formula, with Iron, Powder


Ingredients:

Nonfat Milk, Corn Syrup Solids, Lactose, Soy Oil, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Coconut Oil, Less than 2% of: C. Cohnii Oil [Source of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)], M. Alpina Oil [Source of Arachidonic Acid (ARA)], Potassium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, M-Inositol, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, Choline Bitartrate, Choline Chloride, Ascorbyl Palmitate, L-Carnitine, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Mixed Tocopherols, D-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Citrate, Niacinamide, Potassium Phosphate, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Phylloquinone, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin D3, Cyanocobalamin, Potassium Hydroxide and Nucleotides (Adenosine 5'-Monophophate, Cytidine 5'-Monophosphate, Disodium Guanosine 5'-Monophosphate, Disodium Uridin


Product Attributes:

Kosher

Product Details:

0-12 Months. Add water. For conditions such as prematurity. Promotes growth and development. Use Similac NeoSure to give your baby a strong start in life: An easy-to-digest milk-based formula that provides all the nutrients your premature baby needs; DHA and ARA, special nutrients found in breast milk that are important for brain and eye development; DHA and ARA have been clinically shown to improve visual development in preterm babies. Breast milk is recommended

Directions:

Use under the supervision of a doctor. Directions for Preparation and Use: Your baby's health depends on carefully following these easy directions. Proper hygiene, handling, and storage are important when preparing infant formula. Failure to follow these directions could result in severe harm. Powdered infant formulas are not sterile. Although Similac NeoSure is formulated for premature infants, powdered infant formulas should only be fed to premature infants or infants who might have immune problems as directed and supervised by your baby's doctor. Consult your baby's doctor about the formula appropriate for your baby; the need to use cooled, boiled water for mixing; and the need to boil utensils, bottles and nipples in water before use. Wash your hands, surfaces and utensils. Pour desired amount of water into clean bottle. Add powder, return dry scoop to can. Cap bottle; shake well; attach nipple. Once feeding begins, use within 1 hour or discard. To make approx. 2-fl-oz bottle: 2 fl


Warnings:

Contains milk ingredients. Never use a microwave oven to warm formula. Serious burns can result.



Manufacturer/Distributor:

Ross Products Division/Abbott Laboratories
Columbus, OH 43215-1724
800-515-7677

Disclaimer:

Product information accessed through this website is obtained from claims made by the product's manufacturer on its labels. Please note that, on occasion manufacturers may alter their labels, thus we cannot guarantee or ensure the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of any product information. We recommend that you do not rely solely on the information presented on our website and that you always read the label carefully before using or consuming a product to obtain the most accurate information. If you have specific nutrition or dietary concerns or questions about a product, please consult the product’s label and/or contact the manufacturer directly. We assume no liability for any inaccuracies or misstatements about product information listed on our website.

WILLIAM: HERE ARE ALL THE BRANDS AVAILABLE AT SAFEWAY.COM. I ONLY CHECKED ONE OF EACH BRAND....NOT EACH AND EVERY VARIETY. I FIGURE WHATEVER A COMPANY DOES WITH ONE THEY WILL DO WITH ALL VARIETIES. OK HERE IT IS:

Powder formulas available at Safeway.com:

Enfamil products do not say where the product is made or where the ingredients are from. Only the name of the company, which is in USA:
Mead Johnson & Company
Evansville, IN 47721
800-BABY123



Mom to Mom : Does not actually say where the product is made or where the ingredients are from….only the following: This formula is manufactured in compliance with, and meets the nutritional requirements of, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for infant formula under the guidelines of the US Food and Drug Administration. Product of USA
Lucerne Foods, Inc.
PO Box 99 Pleasanton, CA 94566-0009
877-232-4271


Good Start: Does not say where the product is made or where the ingredients are from. Only gives the company.
Nestle USA, Inc.
Glendale, CA 91203
800-777-7690

Similac: Does not say where the product is actually made or where the ingredients are from.
Ross Products/Abbott Laboratories
Columbus, OH 43215-1724
800-515-7677


Liquid formulas available at Safeway.com

The liquid formulas were the same brands as the powder, but just in liquid form. No additional information was on those labels. They still don’t say where they are actually made or where the ingredients are from.

I don't believe we import any milk products from China. Thank God!



http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCL5 ... QD939SMQ00

Tests find chemical also in liquid milk in China
By TINI TRAN – 10 hours ago

BEIJING (AP) — China's tainted milk crisis widened Friday after tests found the industrial chemical melamine in liquid milk produced by three of the country's leading dairy companies, the quality watchdog said.

Singapore suspended the sale and import of all Chinese milk and dairy products because several tested items were contaminated.

Tainted baby formula has been blamed for killing four infants and sickening 6,200 in China since the scandal broke last week. Some 1,300 babies, mostly newborns, are currently in hospitals and 158 of them are suffering from acute kidney failure. Thousands of parents across the country were bringing their children to hospitals for health checks.

The crisis was initially thought to have been confined to tainted milk powder. But about 10 percent of liquid milk samples taken from Mengniu Dairy Group Co. and Yili Industrial Group Co. — China's two largest dairy producers — contained melamine, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Milk from Shanghai-based Bright Dairy also showed contamination.

Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said tests revealed traces of melamine in samples of a Yili-brand yogurt bar and Dutch Lady-brand strawberry milk manufactured in China. Authorities said they plan to destroy all samples of these two products in Singapore. Officials also warned local food manufacturers against using milk products from China as ingredients.

Hong Kong's two biggest grocery chains, PARKnSHOP and Wellcome, pulled all liquid milk by Mengniu from shelves Friday. A day earlier, Hong Kong had recalled milk, yogurt, ice cream and other products made by Yili Industrial Group Co.

Starbucks Corp. said its 300 cafes in mainland China had pulled milk supplied by Mengniu. Seattle-based Starbucks said no employees or customers had fallen ill from the milk.

The scandal began with complaints over milk powder by Sanlu Group Co. — one of China's best-known and most respected brands. But it quickly became a much larger problem as government tests found that one-fifth of the companies producing baby milk powder had melamine in their products.

Melamine is a toxic industrial chemical that can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. It has no nutritional value but is high in nitrogen, making products with it appear higher in protein. Suppliers trying to cut costs are believed to have added it to watered-down milk to cover up the resulting protein deficiency.

The scandal is the latest in a series of problems with tainted products made in China. The crisis has raised doubts about the effectiveness of tighter controls China promised after a series of food safety scares in recent years over contaminated seafood, toothpaste and a pet food ingredient tainted with melamine.

Dairy products are not part of the traditional Chinese diet, but the country's economic growth and the increased availability of refrigeration have brought about a wide range of products, with flavored milk and sweetened yogurts among the most popular.

Though per capita consumption of dairy products in China is still low at 1.5 ounces per day, increasingly affluent Chinese consumers are paying more attention to their health and view milk as highly nutritious, particularly for children.

While most of the suspect dairy products are only sold domestically, two of the companies involved exported baby formula to five countries in Asia and Africa. Other products such as milk, yogurt and ice cream went to Hong Kong.
Two distributors said Friday that Sanlu ordered them to pull its baby formula off store shelves in early July, weeks before the company went public with the melamine contamination.

The statements by the distributors in Hebei province, where Sanlu is headquartered, raise further questions about when the company and government knew milk powder being fed to babies was tainted with a banned chemical.

A New Zealand stakeholder in Sanlu has said it was told in early August, before the start of the Beijing Olympics on Aug. 8, that there was a problem. The dairy farmers' group Fonterra, which owns 43 percent of Sanlu Group, told the New Zealand government, which informed Chinese officials.

The public was not told until Sept. 11 that the powder, used in baby formula and other products, was laced with melamine.

"We were asked by Sanlu to take all their 2007 to July 2008 baby powder off the shelves in early July" and replace it with new powder, said one of the distributors, Zhang Youqiang.

"Then things got weird. In early August, they came to us again and said all the new Sanlu baby milk powder we had just put on the shelves" did not meet a certain government standard unrelated to product quality, said Zhang, who declined to give his company name for fear of offending Sanlu. He said it was not clear what the standard was that had not been met.

Zhang said he now has warehouses full of contaminated milk powder and is trying to get refunds from Sanlu.

Another distributor, Liang Jianqiang, said he was also trying to get money from Sanlu. He also took Sanlu baby milk powder out of stores in July.

"They told me there would be a new formula that's better quality. They did this again in August and September," he said. Liang also did not want to disclose the name of his company.

Phone calls to Sanlu rang unanswered Friday and its Web site was not working. China's quality watchdog did not respond after asking to be sent a fax with questions.

The quality watchdog said it intended to "severely punish those who are responsible," according to a notice posted on the agency's Web site. It said all the batches that tested positive were being recalled.

In response to reports of contaminated milk-based infant formula manufactured in China, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a Health Information Advisory.

This is to assure the American public that there is no known threat of contamination in infant formula manufactured by companies that have met the requirements to sell infant formula in the United States. Although no Chinese manufacturers of infant formula have fulfilled the requirements to sell infant formula in the United States, FDA officials are investigating whether or not infant formula manufactured in China is being sold in specialty markets which serve the Asian community.

The FDA is advising caregivers not to feed infant formula manufactured in China to infants. This should be replaced with an appropriate infant formula manufactured in the United States as mentioned below. Individuals should contact their health care professional if they have questions regarding their infant's health or if they note changes in their infant's health status.

The FDA began investigating the reports of contamination immediately and received information from the companies who manufacture infant formula for the American market that they are not importing infant formula or source materials from China. The following manufacturers have met the necessary FDA requirements for marketing milk-based infant formulas in the United States: Abbott Nutritionals, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, Nestle USA, PBM Nutritionals, and Solus Products LLC. Also, one manufacturer, SHS/Nutricia, Liverpool, England, markets an amino acid based exempt infant formula that does not contain any milk-derived ingredients.

We are asking state officials to work with the Agency to assist with the removal of any Chinese infant formula found on store shelves, and to warn members of the Asian community to avoid using Chinese manufactured infant formula.

It has been reported that a number of infants in China who have consumed Chinese manufactured infant formula are suffering from kidney stones, a condition which is rare in infants. The Chinese manufactured infant formula may be contaminated with melamine. Melamine artificially increases the protein profile of milk and can causes kidney diseases such as those seen in these Chinese infants.

FDA requires that all infant formula manufacturers register with the Agency and adhere to specific labeling and nutritional requirements. All properly registered infant formula manufacturers marketing infant formula in the United States undergo an annual inspection of their production facilities.

http://www.fda.gov

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=41420