Friday, October 03, 2008 Speak out: Milk scare and breastfeeding By Oswaldo E. Dumoran Jr.
THE problem was noticed from complaints over milk powder of Sanlu Group Co., one of China’s best-known and most respected brands.
It quickly became a much larger issue when government tests found that a fifth of the companies producing baby milk powder in China had melamine in their products.
Melamine is high in nitrogen, making products containing it appear to have a higher protein content.
Suppliers trying to cut cost were believed to have added melamine to water-down milk.
Then news broke out that babies in China were developing kidney stones, and even dying, due to infant milk formulas tainted with melamine.
Coincidentally melamine was the chemical that poisoned many animals in the US last year.
Government should take necessary measures amidst this controversy.
It should strictly examine not just China products but all imported goods from other countries.
People should also be wise enough in choosing products to buy.
They should be reminded that breastfeeding is always best for babies and mommies as well.
Aside from being economical, mother’s milk has all the necessary nutrients a baby needs.
