There is a patent in the US Patent Office called, "Heteropolysaccharide
produced by Enterobacter sakazakii." It is patent # 4806636 and the inventor is
Harris, et al. and was filed in 1985, the assignee is Dow Chemical Company.
This patent describes a novel heteropolysaccharide produced by strains of
enterobacter sakazakaii. This heteropolysaccharide "has many uses as a suspending,
thickening, or stabilizing agent, and is particularly useful as a frictional
drag reduction agent in aqueous systems. This invention is considered superior
to xanthan gum. The patent states its usefulness in foods such as "salad
dressings, pudding, bakery fillings, juice drinks, syrups, and the like." It also
is "useful in pastes, adhesives, cleaners, gels, polishes, explosives, inks,
paints, and the like." It is also "useful as an additive in pharmaceutical
compositions."
I find myself wondering whether this patent was used and if so has this
thickening agent been used in the production of infant formula? It also is a
cleaner, has it been used in the dairy industry to clean equipment, or in hospitals
as a cleaning agent? Are the harmful genes of this bacteria disabled in the
production of this polymer?
In another patent called, "L-glutamic acid-producing bacterium and method for
producing L-glutamic acid," (patent # 6331419) the acid is produced by
culture in a liquid medium with a microorganism belonging to the genus Enterobacter
of Serratia. Enterobacter sakazakii is specifically mentioned as a
possibility. This patent was filed in 1999 and the assignee is Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
L-glutamic acid is added to some infant formulas.
Of course, the question has to be whether those patents became products and
one would have to trace whether these products have ever come in contact with
the production of infant formula. But I believe one has to question a science
that uses pathogens to create novel ingredients, particularly in the food
industry. Researchers believe that they have disabled the harmful genes when they
use these microbes. But exactly where is the long term research that proves
this is so.
E.coli has been a common vector (vector is a way of delivering foreign DNA
into a host cell) used in genetic engineering because of was considered a benign
pathogen. Genetic engineering used in commerical products began in the late
70's. It is worth noting that there are now a form of e.coli that is
considered deadly. Was this a natural mutation of e.coli or has genetic engineering
been a precipitating factor in this mutation? Candida is used as a vector. In
the last few years that I had a private practice, I saw more women and
infants with candida problems and resistance to treatment than ever before. HIV
used to be considered a benign retrovirus (Duesberg) and it is still used as a
vector (supposedly the genes that cause harm are disabled).
Is this new technology creating new pathogens? Who is monitoring this
science that doesn't have a financial interest in the answers? Is this technology
impacting the health and well-being of our infants?
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC
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