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Who are they looking out for anyway?
Topic Started: Nov 29 2008, 01:32 PM (303 Views)
dumblonde
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One has to wonder how, without human testing the FDA can determine a 'safe' amount of melamine for infant consumption. It sounds more like a 'safe' level for corporate profits to me.

http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN2845508420081129?sp=true
Quote:
 
FDA defends U.S. infant formula; sets safe level
By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defended the safety of infant formula sold in the United States on Friday despite tests that found the chemical melamine in one brand and a related compound in another.

The amounts found are far less than levels found in infant formula in China earlier this year and "do not raise public health concerns," said Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "The domestic supply of infant formula is safe."


Quote:
 
In October, the FDA said it could not determine safe levels of infant formula containing both melamine and related compounds but did not look at the risk for foods containing just melamine or other compounds alone.

Consumer groups and some U.S. lawmakers have criticized the FDA's handling of the test results, which were not broadly disseminated until Friday.

"It doesn't build a lot of confidence," said Sonya Lunder a senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group. She added that extra precautions needed to be taken, especially to ensure "that infants aren't getting that (melamine/cyanuric acid) combination from a variety of formula."
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archer
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That's pretty much how the FDA handles everything.....they set an arbitrary safe level.....and it will remain a safe level until someone proves that it is unsafe, in which case they will set a new safe level until someone proves..............

Edited by archer, Nov 29 2008, 01:47 PM.
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dumblonde
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Coincidentally.......

Quote:
 
A Rise in Kidney Stones Is Seen in U.S. Children
By LAURIE TARKAN
Published: October 27, 2008

To the great surprise of parents, kidney stones, once considered a disorder of middle age, are now showing up in children as young as 5 or 6.

While there are no reliable data on the number of cases, pediatric urologists and nephrologists across the country say they are seeing a steep rise in young patients. Some hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics.
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fool
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pediatric kidney stone clinics? how sad... and hard to believe that any melamine in infant formula is acceptable. One of my dogs got a small amount of that tainted dog food last year and almost died. She's over 100 lbs, so I'm sure if she was a smaller dog, she'd be dead.

I've read where the FDA can't really come up with a "safe" amount of partially hydrogenated fats, but it is still in everything. Amazing what people will consume on a regular basis.. and then be surprised at their health problems.
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dumblonde
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It's important to be aware of what you are eating now. There are no watchdogs any more. The FDA, the USDA have both been hogtied to the extent that there is no oversight of our food safety. We don't find out about poisoned meat until it has entered the food chain. There aren't controls or even studies on the safety of food additives. I scrupulously avoid HFCS, transfats and now anything containing dried milk products. It's a bummer.
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fool
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I've been trying to get a straight answer as to whether "yeast extract" is actually msg, have you read anything on that? some say always, some say not...
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dumblonde
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I don't think it is "actually" MSG, but as it contains glutamates it can have the same effect on someone who is sensitive to MSG. I have a friend who gets migraines and she has a list as long as my arm of stuff she can't eat.
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fool
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ok, thanks...
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Gringa
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Yeah - they are very similar..... as DB said.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate has info on it and other additives that are in the same glutamatic amino acid class and used as flavor enhancers.
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