Lydia de Raad <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Mother, Bf-ing her 3rd child for over 6 months now, is just wondering about
>these two food-addivites.
>I can't find anything about it. The only thing found was a booklet "What's
>in your food" by Corrinne Gouget.  In that it's stated that carrageen (E407,
>a red colouring additive) sééms to be innocient, but research out of 1969
>showed that it might be carcinogene in animals.
>
>Well. That's not too recent. I surfed the net, but I can't find anything
>about it. Aflatoxine seems to be carcinogene either, at least: that is what
>the mother stated. Is it in mother's milk or not? Anybody here who knows?

Could she have meant carrageenan and aflatoxin?

Carrageenan (E407) is derived from red seaweed 
and is used as a food thickener, not a food 
coloring. There's some animal evidence that the 
degraded form is associated with gastrointestinal 
cancer, but no corresponding evidence in humans. 
For food uses, only the nondegraded form is 
permitted. Although they've got an obviously 
vested interest, Eden Foods has a nice synopsis 
of the issue at <http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=82>.

Aflatoxin is a carcinogen that targets the liver, 
but it's not something that's deliberately added 
to food. Aflatoxin is a mycotoxin, a toxin 
produced by mold; specifically, Aspergillus spp. 
contaminating crops such as maize and peanut 
(groundnut). There are strict controls on 
allowable levels in developed countries, so 
exposure via milk would be unlikely. In 
developing countries, however, it could be a 
concern if the mother's diet is contaminated.

regards,
Julia

Julia R. Barrett
Science Writer & Editor in the Life Sciences
Madison, Wisconsin
[log in to unmask] 

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

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome