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Companies using a controversial additive in children's foods may have breached food regulations, the Food Safety Authority has warned.
On Monday the authority urged parents to stop using the Karicare Gold Plus range of infant formulas because it contained the prohibited additive fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), a naturally occurring sugar put into foods to help baby's bowel motions.
Yesterday the authority said it believed companies that added FOS to toddler milks had also not complied with food regulations.
"These are taken with a broader diet and so the unknown level of safety will have less potential impact on the child," Jenny Reid, assistant director joint food standards, said. "The authority is first focusing on those products, infant and follow-on formulas, that provide the total nutritional needs of babies."
An FOS called inulin is added to at least two toddler milks, Heinz Nurture Toddler Milk and Karicare Toddler Gold. A spokesman for Heinz said its product complied fully with the Food Standards Code, and was considered safe for toddlers from 1 year upwards.
The Food Safety Authority is recommending parents gradually wean babies off the Karicare Gold Range. However, its manufacturer, Nutricia, yesterday blasted this as unnecessary and alarmist.
"It was very unexpected as we had been working with the Food Safety Authority in taking this issue to the High Court to seek a declaration on the standard, so we were surprised when they issued the director-general's statement," managing director Toni Brendish said. "We don't agree that the ingredient hasn't been tested and hasn't been approved."
Nutricia had carried out 15 separate clinical trials, involving hundreds of babies, Ms Brendish said. The Ministry of Health had also tested FOS, and many other manufacturers used it in their products.
"What we are most concerned about is giving consumers the right information and not causing any concern for mothers about what they are feeding their babies today. The key message is that the product is completely safe, they should keep using it, and I think the statement by the authority has just caused so much confusion. From the calls that we are taking on our 0800 number, mothers just want reassurance."
FOS is permitted in infant formula in the European Union, but is not permitted in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables, but infants will not naturally consume it if fed on breast milk or formulas without FOS.
The authority said that while FOS had not been proven unsafe, it had not gone through the proper tests to prove it was safe in New Zealand conditions.
"All new nutritive substances must undergo a safety assessment before they can be added to foods," Ms Reid said. "This is particularly true of substances added to infant formulas, where these are the only source of nourishment for our most vulnerable babies.
"A situation where manufacturers could add any substances to infant formulas without such an assessment would not be tolerated by New Zealand parents."
Yesterday anxious mothers flooded information hotlines and tried to return tins of Karicare for refunds.
Supermarket chain Progressive Enterprises said stores would continue to sell the Karicare Gold range.
"The authority has not sought a withdrawal of these products," a spokeswoman said. "In fact, they caution against immediately changing the diet of infants who are presently being fed on these formulae. In light of this advice, our supermarkets will continue to ensure the availability of these two products to ensure the needs of our customers are met."
Plunket clinical adviser Alison Hussey said several parents had been worried by the authority's action. The dispute over FOS was one between the authority and Nutricia, Ms Hussey said. "The Food Safety Authority is there for a reason. We are following their advice."
Baby foods
What's the problem?
The Food Standards Authority has warned parents not to use infant formulas with an additive called fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS).
What's wrong with it?
Nothing, according to the manufacturers, who have defended their products. But the Food Standards Authority says the companies do not have permission to put FOS into food sold here.
Is it safe?
The Food Standards Authority says it can't be sure, which is why it has not ordered the products off the shelves. It is advising parents to gradually switch their babies to other foods.
