As I have written before I support the need to work for a cleaner
environment.  But I find it peculiar that environmentalists tip-toe around
the contamination issues of infant formula, particularly when safe drinking
water is such a vital issue for infant formula feeding.

My understanding is that the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in drinking
water are not designed to protect children.  These levels were extrapolated
from animal studies and based on an adult male's body weight and water
consumption.  Thus, an infant may be at greater risk despite MCLs being in
safe ranges for a given water supply.  While there are some 75, 000 chemicals
produced in the US, our public water supply is only monitored for some 80
substances.

Nitrate contamination in a water supply may result in the following problems
for infants.  The following problem would probably not exist if infants were
exclusively breastfeed (no water supplements) for the first 6 months of their
lives.
http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/nasd/docs/as27700.html
"High nitrate levels in water can cause methemoglobinemia or blue baby
syndrome, a condition especially found in infants under six months. The
stomach acid of an infant is not as strong as older children and adults,
which causes an increase in bacteria that can readily convert nitrate to
nitrite (NO2). Therefore, do not let infants consume drinking water that
exceeds 10 mg/l NO3-N (this includes formula preparation). Nitrite is
absorbed in the blood, and hemoglobin (the oxygen carrying component of
blood) is converted to methemoglobin. Methemoglobin does not carry oxygen
efficiently. This results in reduced oxygen supply to vital tissues such as
the brain. Methemoglobin in infant blood cannot change back to hemoglobin,
which normally occurs in adults. Severe methemoglobinemia can result in brain
damage and death."

The levels of arsenic in water supplies in the US have been high and above
concentrations recommended by the WHO.  Arsenic is a known carcinogen, causes
vascular problems and implicated in the development of diabetes.

Bisphenol A is a plastic that is found in cans used for food and infant
formula, in baby bottles and in dental sealants.  It is suspected of causing
the growth of human breast cancer cells and acts similiar to phthalates
(estrogenic-causing breast tissue growth in men and women).

Yet the headlines are on how high the toxins are in mother's milk and the
assumption  by environmentalists is that infant formula is less toxic.  I
really don't get it other than that there is a huge economic interest in the
USA to keep parents uninformed on risks of infant formula and overinformed
about risks of mother's milk.  Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

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