Sharon, You wrote: "Animal fat in formula is replaced with vegetable fat, the toxin levels found in cow's milk are not also found in cow's milk formula." What study showed this? Manufacturers of infant formulas certainly use tropical oils which are trans-fats. (Trans-fats are considered risky for heart-health in adults) Lets take a look at the whey protein concentrate that is used most commonly in cow's milk infant formulas. Whey has protein-bound fats. The concentrate is about 90% protein, no lactose, and I assume that the 10% left is fat. If they use whey protein isolate (often used by body builders), it has no fat but very expensive. I don't think they use the isolate in infant formula. Assumptions are being made because we use "vegetable" oils and because nonfat milk is used in infant formula. But what about the whey protein concentrate? Where is the research? You write, "breastmilk seems to lessen the impact of that damage, unless the breastmilk itself contains extremely high levels of toxins." What study showed damage? Again, studies on toxins and breastfeeding must define breastfeeding. If we tell the public that damage is done by high levels of toxins in breastmilk, I hope to god we have studies that show this damage. I hope we aren't speculating on damage. Exclusive breastfeeding must be defined in detail. Remember that the CDC defines exclusive breastfeeding as including water supplementation. This would be a crucial piece of information since so many water supplies are contaminated with these toxins. One cannot single out human milk as source of toxic body burdens, if other foods and water are being given to an infant. While I am respectful of the experts in the field such as Steingrabber and Schreiber, they are experts in the field of environmental science. They are not necessarily experts in the area of infant feeding. Scientists assume breastfeeding is breastfeeding. But those of us in the lactation field know that all women do not exclusively breastfeed (with exclusive meaning no water supplements, foods, or infant formula). Magda Sachs has written about "styles of breastfeeding." I would encourage the list to view her position paper at AnotherLook in regard to styles of breastfeeding. http://www.anotherlook.org under position papers Condemnation of a substance means that we have to know without reservation that it and it alone caused the effects. One cannot know this in regard to human milk, unless mothers are exclusively breastfeeding. Acceptance of human milk as the most contaminated food on earth, is based on fact? or supposition? It is rather interesting to me that I am hearing murmurs of the miracle of supplementation with DHA and AA in regard to environmental toxins. Rather clever response to the problem. And, I might add, very profitable, too. Time to stop breastfeeding cause the world is too toxic. Time to go out and buy your plastic bottles, nipples, and pacifiers. Don't forget your packet of infant formula lined and stored in plastic with your convenient plastic bottle of water. What magic number of toxicity will the experts come up with in regard to telling mothers to stop breastfeeding? Meanwhile, there will be no magic number to stop infant formula usage because its safe, the industry says so.... 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