*****NOTE - NEW ADDRESS***

Yes Heidi there are some of us.  This is what I have posted on Lactivist.  I have read/heard
that they do not think the packaging is involved - don't know if that is true.  Please don't be
complacent in other countries - it sounds as if this is a long term problem, I guess it must be
the raw materials or something very basic in the process - otherwise why so many different
manufacturers involved? - so chances are you are affected too.

To put it in perspective, I believe 30,000 babies are hospitlaised every year in the UK
because they are fed abm instead of being breastfed to 13 weeks.

Date: Mon, 27 May 96 13:50:15  +
From: Duncan Broadfoot
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fwd: gender bender milks

Having problems with new server - I think was went into cyberspace so
re sending!


Date: Sun, 26 May 96 16:56:24  +
From: broadfoot
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: gender bender milks

In 'Independent on Sunday' (a heavyweight Sunday UK paper) -

headline  'Sex-change chemicals in baby milk'

The story is that phthalates have been found in 'every sample they
(government scientists)
have tested from 9 leading brands of baby formula milk, and from
mixtures of 6 other brands.'

I don't understand the mixture bit.

'   levels of chemicals found are worryingly close to those
discovered, in experiments, to
reduce the size of testes and cut sperm counts in rats.'

Newborns would receive 0.13 mg of phthalate each day per kg body
weight.  The babies are
getting several different types of phthalates at once.

Publicly the Ministry of Agriculture is playing down the dangers.
Privately officials have met
with the Infant and Dietetic Foods Association (who represent
manufacturers)
        'to get them to identify the source of the contamination.'
The asssociation says it is 'very concerned' and 'will seek to reduce
all levels of phthalates in
baby foods.'

'But neither the Ministry nor the Association will reveal the names of
the brands tested or the
levels of chemicals in them.  The association says the information is
commercially sensitive.'

Well now folks.  There are 8 brands of infant formula, plus 2 soya
brands, plus 4 follow-on
milks, from 4 manufacturers.  basically they must all be affected,
unless they are counting
pre-term formulae.  If they are all 'contaminated', either the raw
materials are contaminated, or
there is something common to all the manufacturers' processes that
contaminates the abm.
So how are you all placed in the rest of the world?  Who's testing
your stuff?  We have a right
to know if baby foods are contaminated.  This is a disgrace - IMHO, of
course!


Subject: more on gender benders

Here's a WWW site with lots of info, links to phthalates with specific
mention of the research
which is stirring us up in UK.  Latest news is mothers are being told
not to stop using formula
(or something similar) and representative of British Medical
Association says mothers should
know which formulae are affected so that they can make informed
choices, or something
along those lines.  Hmmm - I wonder what he usually says about the
dangers of abm!

http://www.ed.ac.uk/~amw/oestrogenic.html

The manufacturers are now playing it down, suggesting scare mongering
and such.





Mary Broadfoot, Scotland
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