Levels of melamine found in a sample of U.S.-made infant formula do not pose a safety risk, the FDA said. The agency detected trace amounts of the toxic chemical in a single sample of Nestle Nutrition's Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron.Rico says anything that 'breaks down' into melamine sounds like a stupid thing to have around 'food processing equipment and utensils'...
Melamine was found in concentrations of 137 and 140 parts per billion. In an updated risk assessment, the FDA said that concentrations less than 1,000 parts per billion do not raise safety concerns. Earlier the FDA had said no level of melamine was safe. Agency testing also found cyanuric acid -- a chemical relative of melamine -- at concentrations of 247, 245, and 249 parts per billion in a single sample of Mead Johnson's Enfamil Lipil with Iron. Levels below 1,000 parts per billion are considered tolerable, according to the updated risk assessment. The FDA is still awaiting results from 13 of the 87 samples tested. Agency officials stressed that U.S.-made infant formula is safe and that there have been no reported illnesses stemming from its use.
"Switching away from one of these infant formulas to alternate diets or homemade formulas could result in infants not receiving the complete nutrition required for proper growth and development," said Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition. The updated risk assessment does not address the safety of a combination of melamine and one of its chemical relatives. Such a combination has not been found in any U.S.-made formula, Dr. Sundlof said.
The agency believes the chemical was not deliberately placed in the formula.
Trichloromelamine is approved for use as a cleaner for food processing equipment and utensils and breaks down into melamine when used. Melamine is also approved for use in objects such as can liners and packaging materials.
On 3 October, the FDA issued a risk assessment saying that it could not determine a safe level of melamine in infant formula. The agency released an updated risk assessment last week after completing further testing. The information released by the FDA corrected a report from the Associated Press last week that said that melamine was found in the Mead Johnson product and cyanuric acid was found in the Nestle Nutrition product.
01 December 2008
But are they feeding it to their kids?
MedPage Today has an article by Todd Neale about the baby food & melamine problem:
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