Chemical Processing Sickening Infants on Organic Formula

"CORNUCOPIA, Wis., April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cornucopia Institute has filed a legal complaint with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) demanding that the agency enforce the organic regulations prohibiting toxic solvents from being used in the production of organic food. Cornucopia, a nonprofit food and farm policy research group, found that baby formula and other food manufacturers are using hexane-extracted omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (DHA/ARA) derived from algae and soil
fungus.

Perhaps more startling, through a Freedom of Information request at the FDA, Cornucopia found algal- and fungal-based DHA/ARA have been linked to serious side effects such as virulent diarrhea and vomiting in infants consuming infant formula, many of whom required medical treatment and hospitalization.

"The federal organic regulations very clearly prohibit these oils in organic foods. What we're seeing is the latest in a long string of USDA actions blatantly catering to industry interests at the expense of consumer safety," said Mark Kastel, Codirector of the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute. "USDA officials are simply allowing these companies to freely break the organic rules in their pursuit of profit."

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