I was first introduced to the idea of very small, man-made ‘objects’ by the 1966 sci-fi movie ‘The Fantastic Voyage’:
The story was fanciful in the extreme – science will never be able to shrink humans to the size of atoms – but the concept of building a microscopic sized machine was not that far off the mark. These days, you can find nanoparticles in ‘…scratchproof eyeglasses, crack- resistant paints, anti-graffiti coatings for walls, transparent sunscreens, stain-repellent fabrics, self-cleaning windows and ceramic coatings for solar cells.¹
Unfortunately, the one place you do not want to find nanoparticles is in infant formula, so I was shocked when I read this article from Friends of the Earth:
http://emergingtech.foe.org.au/illegal-and-potentially-toxic-nanoparticles-found-in-baby-formula/
In a quick summary, Friends of the Earth commissioned the Arizona State University to test seven samples of baby formula on sale here in Australia. The test results showed that five of the seven contained nanoparticles that are specifically prohibited in baby food. Despite this, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand [FSANZ] dismissed the concerns raised by these results without even running tests of their own.
Friends of the Earth believe that FSANZ is overly influenced by large multinational corporations and is calling for the body to be investigated. I don’t know whether their claims are justified or not. All I know is that if I had a baby, I’d be switching brands until these allegations are either proved by more testing…or disproved by more testing. Either way, the tests must be done.
The following table is taken from the Friends of the Earth article. The yellow highlight at the bottom is mine.
If this information proves to be alarmist, then I apologise in advance but when it comes to health, especially the health of babies, I believe the precautionary principle should trump every other consideration. As mothers, we have the right to choose what food we put into the mouths of our children.
Meeks
Authors' favourite books
NANO 2012
July 4th, 2017 at 10:30 pm
I don’t understand the ins and outs of this, but as a parent, I’d be concerned.
Pumping at work sucked, but stuff like this makes me all the more glad I did. Neither my littles got formula. Only reason I was able to do it was the a new law in the US forcing employers to accommodate new moms. Sad it took such a law, and even sadder it took so long for them to pass it.
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July 3rd, 2017 at 4:14 am
Really interesting post; thank you so much for sharing it.
As always I have an instant (rhetorical!) question in my head..
I wonder if this has been the situation for a very long time, but we are only now able to identify the nanos, (I’m thinking miasma v germs following study) or if it’s similar to the increase in oestrogen hormones in fish; (a direct result of women on the pill and the increased hormone being excreted). I’m hoping it isn’t simply slackness on the part of the producers.
And I agree with David. Completely. And with your, completely justified, outrage. Thank you and keep up the good work. Hugs from Devon too.
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July 3rd, 2017 at 3:59 pm
It’s good to ask questions. Sadly I know only what’s in the article, but as formula is a processed ‘food’, I can’t help wondering if some part of the processing includes a cost-saving measure that somehow includes these nanoparticles?
After the fraud perpetrated by Volkswagen not that long ago, I tend to see corporations as the Devil Incarnate.
That said, this story is so nasty I rather hope someone will pipe up and say ‘oy! the university got it wrong. No nasties in baby formula.’
Of course, I’d then want them to /prove/ it…-sigh-
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July 3rd, 2017 at 6:14 pm
was it only after the VW diesel you felt like that?! I’m clearly more suspicious than you!!
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July 4th, 2017 at 8:22 am
Oh no! I’ve felt like this since I first stumbled onto Monsanto. I guess the difference was that I respected the VW brand. These days I tend to view all large companies, esp. multinationals, as soulless, money making machines so it doesn’t really surprise me that Nestle et al., is top of that list. Nor does it surprise me that Karicare and A2 aren’t. Both are small-ish local companies that haven’t been ‘corrupted’ yet. Gawd…I sound like a foil-hat nutter. 😦
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July 4th, 2017 at 5:20 pm
you and me both then 😉
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July 2nd, 2017 at 1:16 pm
I don’t understand how these results can be so readily dismissed. Nor do I understand how Food Standards Australia and New Zealand [FSANZ] can possibly be linked to big corporations, any agency must maintain it’s independence to a fault. If a link is proved then it must be severed straight away.
xxx Massive Hug xxx
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July 3rd, 2017 at 4:11 pm
Sadly, how things should be and how they actually are rarely match up. I used to believe that People-in-Power had to be honest because reputation matters. I can now admit that I was a very naive person for a very long time. 😦
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July 2nd, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Thx for the information! OMG what else will we find in future in our food? ;-( Have a nice sunday. Michael
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July 2nd, 2017 at 12:09 pm
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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