MY Kitchen Rules celebrity chef and paleo diet advocate Pete Evans has defended a recipe book that encouraged using a paleo-formula for infants to replace breastmilk.

Earlier this year the book "Bubba Yum Yum: The Paleo Way For New Mums, Babies and Toddlers" was dropped by publisher Pan Macmillan Australia amid claims the recipes could cause the death of an infant.

It was written by Evans, Baby recipe blogger Charlotte Carr and naturopath Helen Padarin.

The television host faced soft questioning on Channel 7's Sunday Night, the same channel he works for on MKR.

Journalist Mike Willesee interviewed Mr Evans about his passion for paleo, pausing briefly on the controversey surrounding the infant formula.

When asked why the book was not on shelves, Mr Evans said it was available online and would be out later this year.

The reason for the delay, Mr Evans said, was because "our publisher got nervous".

"They were nervous at how the big retailers would respond to negative publicity."



Pete Evans on Sunday Night

That was University of Wollongong's Professor Heather Yeatman who heads the university's school of health and in a professor in public and population health.

Concerns were also raised by the Dieticians Association of Australia that has 5700 professional members.

In March it warned the paleo 'DIY formula' from the book claimed to be similar to breastmilk but had 879% more salt, 1067% more iron and 2326% more Vitamin B12.

The association also raised concerns that the recipes included giving children honey, runny eggs and raw liver, which could increase their risks for botulism and salmonella.



Bubba Yum Yum, The Paleo Way for New Mums, Babies and Toddlers was co-authored by celebrity chef Pete Evans, blogger Charlotte Carr and naturopath Helen Padarin.

On Sunday Night, Mr Evans said there was no reason to be worried.

"This recipe has been in print, in publication, for over 20 years, in America," Mr Evans said.

"It's been in a book called Nourishing Traditions.

"We even halve the amount of liver that was in the original recipe and this book has been... I think it's sold a million copies and never once was there any issue with it.

"There's no recorded case of harm from that one recipe".

Mr Willisee then moves on to what intrigued him about the paleo diet, before the segment continues with him taking on the diet as a "10-week challenge".

WHAT do you think? Is the Paleo Way for new mums, babies and toddlers book taking the whole paleo thing too far? Join our watercooler conversation today by leaving your comments below.



