South Korea's Maeil Dairy Baby Formula Contaminated With Enterobacter Sakazakii

Posted on July 13, 2009 by E. Sakazakii Attorney

From news services in Seoul comes world that a South Korean baby formula is contaminated with Enterobacter sakazakii, the baceria that can cause meningitis in infants.

South Korea's National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) said Enterobacter sakazakii bacteria was found in 695kg of powdered milk made by Maeil Dairies Co. June 17. The discovery was made during regular sample testing by the agency under the food and agriculture ministry.

The government agency said the 53,460 individual 13g packages were contaminated overall, although none had reached the retail market.

Enterobacter sakazakii or Cronobacter poses particular risks to babies under six months old or weighing under five and half pounds. However, it poses no threat if mixed with boiling water exceeding 158 decrees.

"Investigators are trying to find the cause of the contamination that may have been related to the manufacturing process or the ingredients used," an NVRQS official said.

He said all products suspected of being tainted with the bacteria are currently in a holding area and will be destroyed, with Maeil ordered to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

The products contaminated were all disposable packages of the company's Premium Goong 1 baby formula. Larger cans containing the formula were not tainted with the bacteria.

According to financial websites: Maeil Dairy Industry Co., Ltd. with annual sales in the $1 billion range produces baby foods, beverages, yogurts, and soybean milk products. It also offers milk, fermented milk, cheese, nutritional meals for the pregnant, and oil products. In addition, the company imports and supplies chocolates, olive oil, and grape seed oil. Its products are used in hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and coffee franchises. Maeil Dairy Industry Co., Ltd. offers its products through contracted distributors. The company exports its products to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the United States, Guam, Canada, Mexico, and the Russian Federation.
 

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Codex Addresses Powdered Formula For Infants Out Of Concern About E. Sakazakii

Posted on July 6, 2009 by E. Sakazakii Attorney

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) adopted 30 new international standards and guidelines to improve food safety and protect consumers, including some that impact powdered infant formula.  The Codex changes came during a just ended week-long meeting.

The Commission adopted criteria for salmonella and other bacteria in powdered follow-up formulae for children six months of age or older and for special medical purposes for young children.

A bacterium of special concern is E. sakazakii, for which Codex adopted specific criteria for powdered formula for infants (0 to 6 months) in 2008. The Commission decided that in countries with particular risk for E. sakazakii from consumption of follow-up formulae (i.e. countries with substantial populations of immunocompromised babies) similar criteria for E. sakazakii could be introduced for follow-up formula as for powdered formula for infants.

Follow-up formulae should only be used for the intended target population. Unfortunately, they are often consumed by babies younger than six months of age. The standard stresses the need to address such product misuse issues through education campaigns and training. 

Codex, established in 1963, has 181 member states plus the European Community.  It is an offshoot of the United Nations.

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Nestle Role In Alberta Conference Called Into Question

Posted on July 5, 2009 by E. Sakazakii Attorney

1st Annual Canadian Perinatal & Pediatric Nutrition Conference

Date & Time: September 25 - 26, 2009, 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Location: Bernard Snell Hall, University of Alberta Hospital

City/Town: Edmonton, AB

Description: This conference features two full days on obesity, allergies and other nutritional "hot topics" with expert faculty from across North America. It will be of interest to all those working with infants, children and nutrition including physicians, nurses, dietitians and pharmacists.

Early Bird Registration: $350
After August 15th: $400
One-day and student rates are also available

More Information: Call 780-735-1359 or e-mail RNFSEduc@cha.ab.ca

 

OUR COMMENT: This is the conference that the Infant Feeding Action Coalition (INFACT Canada) is out with an alert on, saying that  organizers are allowing "unethical marketing" by Nestle.

Here is what INFACT Canada says:

INFACT Canada has learned that a pediatric nutrition conference slated for September has listed Nestlé Nutrition as a major sponsor. The Alberta Health Services First Annual Canadian Perinatal and Pediatric Nutrition Conference being held in Edmonton on September 25-26 is not only being sponsored by Nestlé, but one of its speakers will be a Nestlé employee.

It is a serious conflict of interest for a public health agency such as Alberta Health Services (AHS) to stage a pediatric nutrition conference in partnership with an infant formula manufacturer like Nestlé. Nestlé is notorious for its aggressive marketing of infant formula and obstinate rejection of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. The company recently launched a deceptive marketing campaign claiming that probiotics added to its formula will mimic the bifidus factor of human milk. It is no coincidence that one of the conference’s themes will be probiotics in infant nutrition.

As reported in a previous INFACT email, Nestlé’s new formula contains so-called “natural cultures” of bifidus bacteria, which are found in breastmilk. The company is marketing the new brand as equivalent to breastmilk. “There are only two places your baby can get natural cultures,” reads the advertising tagline, “The first is you. The other is from Nestlé Good Start Natural Cultures.” No scientific study is cited as proof that the bacterial cultures in this formula have the same effect on infants as breast milk.

We've seen no response to this from Alberta Health Services, the conference organizer.

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