How would you react to such a find?
First it was melamine back in 2008, infants dying in USA due to formula poisoning and now this? How did half a condom get in a package of milk formula? Reports show that a man from Hangzhou, China, Mr. Li Jiaming made a shocking discovery in his 14-month old daughter’s formula from Abbott Laboratories.
The 28-year-old dad said: “I was shocked when I discovered a condom in the baby’s milk powder. I stopped feeding her the milk powder and got her some rice porridge instead.”
A spokesperson who visited Mr. Li’s home claims that Abbott has, “very stringent manufacturing methods and controls in place to prevent foreign material from entering the formulas” so there is no way the condom entered the product during the manufacturing process.
Damaging report from CER
Based on the report issued by Hong Kong-based research house CER Research, the infant formula product produced by Abbott Laboratories was actually tested to be the worst in six different infant formula powders being sold in the Chinese market—it also failed to reach China national safety standards. The release of this report came out at the same time as the claims made by Mr. Li.
Graham Earnshaw, CER Research CEO, said: “To our surprise, the Abbott product tested the worst of the six samples provided, and well below accepted international and even China standards.”
Here is an except from the report:
“China requires infant formula to have a minimum whey to casein protein ratio of at least 60%. Abbott Similac Stage 1 product, bought in Hong Kong on December 16, 2011, failed to meet the standard by a wide margin. The tests also showed the Abbott product to have a very high heat treatment intensity. These are both significant negative factors with regard to infant formula.
High intake of casein protein has been shown to cause intestinal bleeding, malnutrition, diarrhea and kidney stress in infants.”
Click here for a more in depth report.
What Abbott Laboratories has to say
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This is a word-for-word statement issued by Abbott Laboratories in wake of the recent reports.
Holding statement:
“Abbott Infant formula product is manufactured to the specification required in each market of operation.
The product referenced and shown in this report was not produced for the Chinese market and not sold in China and therefore inevitably has different specifications as China requirements are unique. Accordingly the findings and conclusions in the report are misleading and appear to be deliberately positioned to damage our reputation which Abbott will take all steps to defend.
While we are still working to understand the specifics of the report and obtain details from CER, Abbott fully refutes any allegation of safety or quality contained in the report.
All Abbott Nutrition products are developed and manufactured to meet or exceed the standards for healthy and safe infant growth set in each country. They undergo a rigorous testing process before release. Our products are safe.
Abbott is concerned with the scientific methodology, objectivity and balance of this report: no other manufacturer is mentioned in this report even though It indicates samples were taken from 5 other manufacturers; no information is provided as to the other samples and the testing results; no information is provided as to who commissioned this report. Just as importantly, we are unable to tell from the report what testing methods CER used to obtain its results.
Product quality is Abbott’s first priority and Abbott has worked with and continues to work with the Chinese Government in the development and enhancement of food safety standards.”
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Parents, what do you feel about this incident? Will it ever happen in Singapore?
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