The Center for Children's Health and Environment, Mount Sinai School of
Medicine, NY, NY has this interesting statement at:

http://www.mssm.edu/cpm/superfund/outreach/contaminants.shtml

"Mercury: Mercury is encountered at 46% of Superfund sites in the U.S. Heavy
concentrations of mercury are found in the Hackensack Meadowlands, a tidal
estuary at the western margin of New York Harbor. Mercury is also found in fish.
Highest mercury levels in the lower Hudson are found in striped bass. Humans
can be exposed to mercury by eating contaminated fish or shellfish. Mercury
effects the nervous system and is most harmful to young children exposed through
breast milk."

Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, who is the director of this Center at Mount Sinai
School of Medicine has written a number of papers on chemical contaminants in
breastmilk.  At the same time a professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, a
Dr. Robert F. Margolskee has patented a G-protein, a transducin. (patent #
6540978) This G-protein is a protein found naturally in human milk.  (Many, many
thanks to Judy Ritchie on our list for sending me the NY Times article
regarding this research on this protein)

This compound, AMP (adenosine 5'-monophonsphate) has been found to block
acidic tastes.  Dr. Margolskee, who is also the founder of the biotech company,
Linguagen Corporation, has several food companies interested in his patent
(Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, and Solae-owned by DuPont).  Kraft and Solae are clients
of this company.  Not only is the food industry interested in this
product--reducing the bitterness of various foods but the pharmaceutical industry is
interested. (for example: hiv/aids oral medicines are very bitter and effect
compliance of drug regimes)  Manufacturers of cough medicine for children are also
interested in this compound.

What I find fascinating is that one can have within a single institution
research on the toxins in human milk and statements that would discourage
breastfeeding.  While at the same time another department within the university seems
to be geared to use/discover components of human milk (albeit genetically
engineered) to make a profit (the assignee to Margolskee's patent is Mount Sinai
School of Medicine).  Is one connected to the other? Ironic?  Seems rather
interesting that you can have an institution so involved in the toxins of human
milk yet at the same time have researchers at that same institution making
discoveries about a human milk protein that may be very profitable.  Bitter is
certainly the word to describe how I feel in seeing this.
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC










             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html