KEY POINTS:
A leading baby formula manufacturer has been accused by the Food Safety Authority of experimenting on babies by putting a prohibited additive in a product.
The authority yesterday urged parents to stop using the Karicare Gold Plus range, because it contained a non-approved additive, fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), and gradually switch to a new formula.
The additive, which is meant to help babies' bowel motions, is permitted for use in Europe but it is not allowed in Canadian, Australian or New Zealand infant formulas.
Authority compliance and investigation director Geoff Allen said FOS was not known to be harmful but proper testing had not been carried out under New Zealand conditions to prove it was not potentially harmful.
"It should be tested and assessed before it goes on the market to be safe, rather than to use a vulnerable part of the population as a test case," he said.
The authority's advice only covers the Karicare Gold Plus range. Other Karicare formulas do not contain FOS.
The range went on sale in January and it is estimated 4000 babies are fed the product.
Authority principal public health adviser Donald Campbell warned parents not to switch immediately to a new formula.
"We are informing them so they can make a choice," he said.
"If they do wish [to change], we suggest they do it slowly over three or four days, gradually introducing the new feed in place of the existing one.
"We have no evidence of harm to children. This is a regulatory matter, rather than evidence of direct ill health in children."
The authority began investigating in February, after rival companies alerted it to the product and two mothers attributed their children's diarrhoea to the product.
New mother Jocelyn Prasad said she had recently started feeding 15-week-old Hari with Gold Plus formula once a day.
She switched to a new brand yesterday and wanted to know why Karicare had added FOS to its formula.
"You are wary just giving the baby formula because everyone tells you breast is best," she said.
"You are wary of the effects the formula has on the baby's digestive system, so when there is even a hint that there might be something suspect with a brand of formula, then you just don't leave anything to chance."
Karicare's manufacturers, Nutricia New Zealand, yesterday insisted its Gold Plus range posed no health risk to children.
A company spokesman said the type of FOS used in the Gold Plus range, inulin, had been used in Europe for seven years, with no safety concerns.
"It is important to reinforce that the discussions regarding FOS are around how it is classified and not about any safety issues," a company spokesman said.
Inulin occurred naturally in many fruits and vegetables. The company said several food products on sale here contained inulin (fructose-based substances) and many of those products were eaten by young children.
"Nutricia remains confused about why the NZFSA singled out Karicare Gold Plus."
The spokesman said fructo-oligosaccharides such as inulin were added to baby formula to improve digestion and were intended to act like fibre. Babies were less constipated, and bowel motions were more like those of a breast-fed infant.
What families need to know:
What has happened?
The Food Safety Authority has recommended parents stop using the Karicare Gold Plus range because it contains a non-approved additive called fructo-oligosaccharide.
Which brands are affected?
Karicare Gold Plus Infant and Karicare Gold Plus Follow-On Formula. Other Karicare formulas do not contain the additive.
What should parents do?
The Food Safety Authority says parents who wish to change the formulas should do so gradually over three to four days, otherwise babies' digestive patterns could be upset.
But is it safe?
Nutricia, which makes Karicare, says yes, and notes fructo-oligosaccharide is approved for use in the European Union. The Food Safety Authority says that, while it does not know the product is unsafe, the right tests have not been carried out to prove it is safe.
Why hasn't the product been recalled?
A food recall can only be issued if a food is known or believed to be unsafe. Nutricia says it stands by the safety of its foods and the Gold Plus range will remain on sale.
