28 Nov, 2008 - Health officials in Canada have moved quickly to echo assurances of their US counterparts that baby milk formulas sold in the country are safe.
A report confirming such is expected to be published as soon as today and follows criticisms by some manufacturers that US Food and Drug Administration comments earlier this week prompted widespread and unnecessary concern. In those comments, the FDA said that samples of US baby formula had rested positive for low-level traces of the industrial chemical.
The announcement prompted thousands of concerned parents to contact firms named for clarification and reassurance. The FDA insisted that all tested products were found to be safe, as the trace amounts of the chemical found were at levels far lower than those thought to be harmful.
In the Canadian report, independent tests conducted by Health Canada of 80 infant-formula products -- many of which are also available in the U.S. -- showed that the majority contained trace amounts of melamine, but at levels that aren't harmful, consistent with the FDA's report.