Why do we allow pesticides in baby formula?

Friday, May 31, 2013 by: Elisha McFarland
Tags: pesticides, baby formula, heavy metals

(NaturalNews) It has been established that infant formula increases the risk of severe, debilitating and even fatal childhood diseases through a wide range of epidemiological studies. Is it really any wonder when we allow chemicals such as Cupric sulfate a known pesticide, herbicide and fungicide in baby and infant formulas? (1,4,5,6,7)

What is cupric sulfate?

Cupric sulfate is an inorganic salt which is widely used in industry, agriculture, and veterinary medicine. (2) Cupric sulfate is also used in copperplating, in dyeing (as a mordant), in wet-cell batteries, in pigments, and algicides. (1). So what in the world is this doing in baby formula? This chemical is listed plainly on the ingredient label of many prominent baby food formulas, including Enfamil (3, 4), Similac , (5), and Earth's Best Organic (6). You can even find it in Centrum and One-a-Day vitamins. Research has identified a link between cupric sulfate and many negative conditions such as arsenic poisoning, DNA damage, heavy metal toxicity and mercury poisoning. Much of this research dates as far back as 1991, so why are companies still allowing this chemical in consumer products, and notably in baby formulas?

What's the risk?

The following information is taken directly from the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for Cupric Sulfate:

Section 3: Hazards Identification, of the Material Safety Data Sheet for cupric sulfate show Potential Acute Health Effects: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Potential Chronic Health Effects: CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY: Not available. The substance may be toxic to kidneys, liver. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. (7)

Section 7: Handling and Storage, states the following precautions "Do not ingest, do not breathe dust, wear protective clothing. If ingested, seek medical advice immediately. Avoid contact with skin and eyes." (7)

Additional factors to consider

According to Drugs.com, cupric sulfate is for animal use only and should be kept out of reach for children. (8)

Acute doses of cupric sulfate reduce the gastric mucosal barrier capacity, independently of the appearance of gastrointestinal symptoms. (9)

Heavy metal accumulation and associated biochemical alterations are found in Autistic Spectrum Disorder. (10)

Breastfeeding is still the best option

Mother's colostrum is nutrient rich and provides antibodies to protect a nursing baby. Breastfeeding is shown to reduce the risk of allergic and respiratory diseases. (11) Breast milk is the first nutritional choice for all babies and infants. If a mother is unable to breastfeed, donor milk would be the next best option although some nutritional elements are inactivated by the pasteurization process; it still has documented advantages when compared to formula. (12) Breast milk changes as your baby grows and is easier to digest. The protection that breast milk offers is unique and can't be duplicated by formula. Increasing evidence suggests that exclusive breastfeeding may have a significant impact on the prevention of diabetes in adult life. (13) Formula fed babies have higher risks of asthma, type 2 diabetes, obesity. (14)

Sources for this article include:

1. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-cupricsu.html

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12209195

3.http://www.bing.com

4.http://www.enfamil.com Click on Nutrient Tab

5. http://abbottnutrition.com/brands/products/similac-sensitive Click on Ingredients tab

6. http://www.earthsbest.com/products/product/2392310040

7. http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9923598

8. http://www.drugs.com/pro/cupric-sulfate.html

9. http://www.greenmedinfo.com

10. http://www.greenmedinfo.com

11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18386435

12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23158507

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23243830

14. http://www.womenshealth.gov

About the author:
After sixteen years of struggling with MCS, Elisha McFarland recovered her health through alternative and natural healing methods. It was this experience that encouraged her to pursue an education in natural health. She has received the following designations: Doctor of Naturopathy, Master Herbalist, D.A. Hom., B.S. in Holistic Nutrition, Certified Wholistic Rejuvenist and EFT-ADV. You can visit her website at: http://www.myhealthmaven.com or follow her on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/myhealthmaven