Chinese Infant Formula Sickens Hundreds of Children
by Lindsay HuttonSome baby formula made in China may be contaminated with melamine, and, as of mid-September 2008, the U.S. FDA began warning parents to steer clear of baby formula from China. Although baby formulas made in the U.S. are safe to use, specialty stores that cater to the Asian community may carry Chinese-made infant formula. Formula from at least 22 Chinese dairy companies has been tainted with this additive. In China, at least three babies have died and more than 1,300 remain hospitalized, including more than 150 that are suffering from acute kidney failure. In total, more than 6,000 babies have been sickened, most of whom have recovered.
Melamine is a chemical used to make plastic and fertilizer. In China it has also been used to artificially inflate protein levels in milk. This is the same chemical that was linked to tainted animal feed in 2007, which sickened hundreds of pets and caused death in a significant number of them.
The FDA requires that all makers of baby formula meet certain standards and register with them before any of their products can be sold in the U.S. The FDA has provided the following list of baby formula manufacturers that meet the requirements to be sold in the U.S:
No Chinese company has yet met the FDA standards; so theoretically, no baby formula made in China should be on the shelves in any U.S. store. However, parents who have bought a baby formula not on this list--especially one from a Chinese specialty store--may wish to discard it. The most common effects of melamine poisoning are kidney stones, kidney infection, and in some cases kidney failure. Symptoms to look for in babies include:
Any child who may have been exposed to contaminated formula and who is exhibiting these symptoms should be immediately taken to the doctor or hospital for examination and treatment.
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