Fake Formula in China

It deeply grieves me to read of infants who die at the hands of companies who knowingly produce substandard infant formula. It is all about saving a buck and at the expense of the innocent. Yesterday Associated Press reports that two factory officials that produced the nutritionally compromised Lezichun brand formula were jailed.

Yet what grieves me much more is the fact that infants are receiving infant formula at all. In studying the Chinese culture and it's beliefs surrounding the perinatal period, I see many reasons why. But with such a rich history and formula only available in the last 50 years, could they not look back and seek the wisdom of their ancestors? Can they not see that mother's milk is the best for their precious children, especially in light of the huge formula problems that plague their country right now? Twelve infants have died from substandard knock-off formulas. Or in the case of the Guiyang Sanlian Milk Company, repackaging out-of-date formula to keep them on the shelves last year. Heck, even Nestlé was accused of compromising their formula by not using whole milk. Their answer:

Nestlé China pointed out that it deliberately used skimmed milk in its infant formula because whole milk is considered to contain too much protein for young babies to digest. It also said that added fatty acids, minerals and vitamins were a necessary addition to create a balanced nutritional content. AP 18/03/2005

I won't go there in terms of what formula is made of (anyone using or considering using formula should be very well aware of the crap that goes into it) or of Nestlé's own blatant marketing strategies that are compromising babies every day (a great expose on this can be found in Dr. Jack Newman's breastfeeding books). Mother's are "sold" on the idea that formula is just as good, yet in the end can't afford the huge cost of formula .

Mothers and families have to realize the choices they make are important, none more so than those surrounding the beginning of life, as it sets the stage for their child's entire life. Children are resilient, that is a fact, but smart choices by parents is essential for their health and well-being, and none more than during the first three years when brain development is at its peak.