FDA Reports Indicate Infants Sickened from Algae/Fungal-Based
Nutritional Supplements
CORNUCOPIA, Wis., April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cornucopia
Institute has filed a legal complaint with the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) demanding that the agency enforce the organic regulations
prohibiting toxic solvents from being used in the production of organic
food. Cornucopia, a nonprofit food and farm policy research group, found
that baby formula and other food manufacturers are using hexane-extracted
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (DHA/ARA) derived from algae and soil
fungus.
Perhaps more startling, through a Freedom of Information request at the
FDA, Cornucopia found algal- and fungal-based DHA/ARA have been linked to
serious side effects such as virulent diarrhea and vomiting in infants
consuming infant formula, many of whom required medical treatment and
hospitalization.
"The federal organic regulations very clearly prohibit these oils in
organic foods. What we're seeing is the latest in a long string of USDA
actions blatantly catering to industry interests at the expense of consumer
safety," said Mark Kastel, Codirector of the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia
Institute. "USDA officials are simply allowing these companies to freely
break the organic rules in their pursuit of profit."
Organic products with the prohibited fatty acid supplements include
Horizon Organic milk with DHA and organic infant formulas, including
Similac Organic, Earth's Best, and Bright Beginnings Organic.
Martek Biosciences Corporation produces these DHA and ARA supplements.
They are extracted from fermented algae and soil fungus with the use of a
highly explosive neurotoxic petrochemical solvent, hexane. The National
Organic Program strictly prohibits its use in the processing of organic
foods and ingredients.
"Only a change in the regulations would make these oils legal in
organic foods, and a regulation change requires citizen input," said David
Cox, a lawyer with the Columbus, Ohio law firm of Lane, Alton, and Horst.
The addition of DHA and ARA to organic infant formula is especially
troublesome considering that they are linked to serious illness in some
infants. "From our FDA request, we discovered that scores of parents have
notified the FDA that their infants experienced symptoms such as serious
cases of diarrhea, vomiting, and extreme gassiness from consuming DHA/ARA
formula. These symptoms commonly disappeared as soon as the infants were
given regular formula without these supplements," said Charlotte Vallaeys,
author of Cornucopia's comprehensive report Replacing Mother - Imitating
Human Breast Milk in the Laboratory.
For more, go to HYPERLINK "http://www.cornucopia.org"
http://www.cornucopia.org.
SOURCE The Cornucopia Institute
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.cornucopia.org/
CONTACT:
Charlotte Vallaeys, +1-978-369-6409, or Mark
Kastel, +1-608-625-2042, both of the Cornucopia Institute
|
