by Marion Nestle
Nov 29 2008

FDA OK’s 1 ppm melamine in infant formula

Friday is a great day for releasing news that might be controversial.  The FDA announced a 1 ppm standard for safe levels of melamine in infant formula – provided cyanuric acid is not also present.  By this standard, the amount in the adulterated Chinese infant formula – 2,000 ppm or more – would be deemed demonstrably toxic.  The amount in the contaminated U.S. formula – 0.1 to 0.2 ppm – would be considered safe.  Of course zero would be better, but that seems hard to achieve in today’s chemically contaminated environment.  A 1 ppm standard is tough enough to give the FDA plenty of leeway in banning unsafe products.

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  • I think something that really needs to happen is support for the companies that are trying to avoid chemicals that the FDA approves. They are usually more expensive, and it’s hard to make ends meet as it is, but I think we can all find ways to boycott the companies that are out for money and will do what they please and support those that are trying to change products. I found it in Trivani, a new health care line that works through network marketing. They’re new and the products are few, but they’re growing fast and I think it can make a difference. Here’s a link for anyone interested to know more. http://www.mytrivani.com/sneddon

  • Christine Irizarry

    Another source of potential contamination by melamine could be animal feed. Here is the news from South Africa I saw. “28 Nov, 2008 – Nestle has said that contaminated animal feed was responsible for levels of melamine discovered in two brands of its formula milk in South Africa – giving credence to the possibility that the industrial chemical may be able to cross from the feed to the food chain.” SOURCE: http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/20732/Baby/Chemical/Food-Safety/Milk/Nestle/South-Africa/nestle-says-contaminated-animal-feed-responsible-melamine-baby-milk.html