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More U.S. infant formula found to be contaminated with melamine
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The Associated Press reports that The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has detected melamine and a byproduct cyanuric acid in four of 89 canisters of infant formula tested. Before a widespread panic ensues, the FDA states that the contamination is at extremely minute levels. But given the recent horrific accounts of melamine in infant formula in China and the tragedies that occurred as a result, anyone who is currently offering infant formula to their babies would be concerned, understandably.Yet, here is the difference between the discoveries in each of the countries. In China, melamine was found to be at much higher levels because it was purposely added to the formula in an attempt to increase protein levels. In the U.S., the levels are attributed to the manufacturing process and traces that were transferred unintentionally. According to the AP article:
Melamine can legally be used in some food packaging, and can rub off into food from there. It’s also part of a cleaning solution used on some food processing equipment. Mead Johnson officials said the FDA had informed them of the test results and the levels on cyanuric acid are so low that they do not pose a health risk to infants. The company said it is considering changing the cleaning solutions it uses on its manufacturing equipment to reduce cyanuric acid contamination.
According to the FDA Web site, the threshold for safe levels of melamine alone or cyanuric acid alone was set at or below 1 part per million (ppm). Anything found lower than that does not raise concerns. Of the samples they tested, here is what they found:
· Two samples tested from one can of Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron had cyanuric acid at levels of 0.412 and 0.31 parts per million;
· Three samples tested from one can of Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron had cyanuric acid at levels of 0.304, 0.406 and 0.248 parts per million;
· Three samples tested from one can of Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron had cyanuric acid at levels of 0.247, 0.245 and 0.249 parts per million;
· Two samples from a can of Nestle’s Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected melamine at levels of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.
As you can see from these figures, the detections fall well below the 1 part per million figure they established. The FDA stresses that parents should absolutely continue using U.S. manufactured infant formula and that switching or omitting the product from infants’ diets could result in inadequate nutrition.
With all the merited attention this subject matter has received, there is no doubt that the FDA will continue to fiercely monitor melamine levels and that infant formula manufacturers will be even more diligent about creating the safest product possible.
For more information about the FDA’s findings on infant formula, as well as food products they recommend avoiding due to melamine contamination, please visit the Administration’s Web site HERE.
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