Mother’s formula feed for a variety of reasons, I’m not going to debate the issue of breast v formula. I bf both my children until I returned to work because it was right for me and when I returned to work, they had formula while in care and I bf at home. I chose the formula I chose for a variety of reasons; it was recommended by other mothers, it was a good quality formula and had an established reputation.Now my children are far beyond the need for formula but I was incensed this afternoon to read about Karicare Gold using a prohibited, non approved additive in its formula. The company Nutricia New Zealand insists that the additive inulin has been used in Europe for seven years with no safety concerns; fructo-oligosaccharide is approved for use in the European Union, however the NZ Food Safety Authority says that while it doesn’t know that the product is unsafe, tests have not been carried out to prove it is safe under NZ conditions.

To me it’s a moot point as to whether the supplement is ultimately decided to be safe or not.

Nutricia made the choice to sell a formula to consumers that trust them, knowing it contained ingredients that had yet to be passed as safe. Parents do trust that all the ingredients in a baby formula are tested and proved safe for their babies. Nutricia have made a huge error in circumventing the food safety authority. I know as a mother I would never, ever trust their formula again, simply because they did not follow rules, established to ensure the safety of my children. Who does this company think they are, to make decisions about the safety of my children or anyone elses? It’s not their children they are putting at risk, it’s our children, the unknowing consumer’s, how are they to know about the possible side affects if they are unaware this product is in the formula?

A clear message needs to be sent by parents. We will not allow companies to essentially experiment on our children! This is too important to ignore.

Updated: 1644

This is from the Nutricia website detailing the way they stick to the regulatory environment stringently, bit of a joke now really and the Australian Authority is looking at Nutricia Karicare Gold as well.

Nutricia Homepage

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