I have found the discussion of genetically modified (GM) foods very
interesting. In the US there are several infant formulas that contain
genetically altered soy and corn. These were first identified in a New York
Times article and again in an article from Consumer Reports. No label informs
parents that they are feeding their baby GM ingredients. Consumers should be
concerned about three things in these foods: novel toxins, new allergens, and
increased antibiotic resistance. Genetically altering an organism can mean
taking DNA from a totally unrelated species (including a virus or bacterium)
and inserting it into another organism or plant. To test that the procedure
has taken place successfully a bacteria is also placed into the GM food and
then treated with an antibiotic. If the bacterium resists the antibiotic,
then the transfer was a success.

People argue that these GM foods are generally recognized as safe (GRAS), a
ruling from the FDA, but we should also remember that the soy preparation
used in soy formulas has never been formally recognized as GRAS. All of this
makes me really nervous and wanting to work harder and better at helping
mothers, health care providers, and policy makers understand the importance
of breast milk and breastfeeding to our mothers and babies.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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