Not only did the review process break down when carrageenan was first approved by the NOSB in the mid-1990s, it was flawed when it was re-reviewed five years after the organic regulations went into effect, at sunset. 100% of the public comments, at that time, were in support of its continued use in organics. All comments came from corporations producing carrageenan, agribusinesses using the ingredient and the Organic Trade Association.

Martek genetically mutated DHA and ARA oils are used in organic baby formula

According to a USDA brochure on organic standards, organic food is described as:

“What is organic food? Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.” Consumer Brochure, USDA National Organic Program, http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Consumers/brochure.html

Due to bioengineering, Martek oils do not meet this definition.

DHA and ARA oils are included in infant formula to add essential nutritional oils found in breastmilk. They are called long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) important for brain development. Adverse reactions have been experienced by some infants on formula containing this additives, including Sudden Death Syndrome.

According to Source Watch:

WTF? Neurotoxins created by organic food production?

As if genetically mutated algae approval was not enough, Martek oils create n-hexane in production. N-hexane is a neurotoxin. Martek, is in fact, one of the “top 100 largest emitters of this hazardous air pollutant in the United States”. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), which largely downplays toxic substances,

When rats are exposed to n-hexane in the air, they show signs of damage to their nervous systems very similar to those seen in people who became ill after workplace exposure. As in people, these effects in rats depend on the concentrations of n-hexane in air and how long exposure lasts. Studies in rats showed that a breakdown product of n-hexane (called 2,5-hexanedione) causes the nerve damage, not n-hexane itself.

Workers in Italy and Japan have experienced paralysis from n-hexane exposure.

PR Watch reports:

Martek’s additives are now added to more than 99 percent of American infant formulas, according to the company, as well as baby foods, supplements, milk and other food products. This includes 90 percent (in 2009) of formulas certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In summary, Martek’s LCPUFAs do not meet organic standards by definition. The process of extraction from algae involves methods not approved (Title 7, § 205.2 of the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations). The production of n-hexane during manufacturing is does not “minimize pollution”. The very approval of Mertek’s oils shows the NOSB make up does not reflect citizen representatives but industry members making decisions for corporate interests rather than public safety and well-being. This is a scandal worthy of the title Organic Watergate.