Organic Baby Food Contains Genetically Modified Organisms

Major corporations have realized that organic products are a fairly good cash-cow for their company coffers. As the general public adds certified organic products to their weekly food list, the FDA’s division for certified organic has become quite the busy location. But, as in all corporate situations, politics and illusion have entered the world of organic products. It seems that the approval has been given to add genetically modified organisms (GMO) as well as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) to baby foods labeled as certified organic. There is a call to outrage as this prompts a war between consumers and the National Organics Standards Board, aligned with the FDA. These ‘frankenfoods’ are in direct conflict with the term ‘certified organic’.

In 2009 The Washington Post brought the argument of GMO’s in baby food and replacement milk front and center in their article that questioned the integrity of the Federal organic label. The article exposed Martek Biosciences addition of synthetic DHA and ARA in baby food that is certified organic. Neither of these additives appears are on the certified organic list and should therefore not be included for the certification approval of the product. DHA and ARA are ingredients that are created via genetic engineering and are processed with microencapsulation and volatile synthetic solvents. All three of these are on the list that is strictly prohibited on the certified organic list.

When complaints were registered on the topic of GMO, The National Organics Standards Board (NOSB) required that Martek Biosciences make an official request to have these additives included on the list for certified organic Apparently it only took a phone call and an email from the Martek attorney, and shockingly, the NOSB approved the GMOs to be added to certified organic products.

One might wonder how devastating are the DHA and ARA additives? These additives are extracted from fermented algae and fungus grown in laboratories using hexane, which is a toxic chemical. The fungal and algal oils give the ARA and DHA formats that are not found naturally in human milk and are structurally different. The Cornucopia Institute is very explicit on the facts that mother’s milk cannot be replaced with chemical versions.

Every company that produces infant food and replacement milk has a goal to convince parents that their products are healthy, safe and as close to mothers milk. This is a marketing campaign to offer confidence in replacing standard breast milk that contains an abundance of nutrients and anti-bodies with a man-made alternative. When you enter the organic topic, the word ‘organic’ alone assists in a sense of confidence that goes above standard over the counter products.

The oils that are made by Martek Biosciences Corp seem to be an additive to formulas for infants as part of this marketing tool. Martek themselves have a 1996 promotion that indicates that ‘even if’ the ARA/DHA have not benefit, they believed it would be incorporates as a marketing tool to give companies the ability to promote the formula as the closest to human milk.

The final comment will end with a question: Why has the National Organics Standards Board given approval for this man-made additive that goes against the certified organic guidelines and is admitted to offer no benefits for the infant formula? Is it an administrative oversight or has the world of organics officially entered into the political plays of corporations?

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.