THE discovery of unacceptably high levels of melamine in locally produced baby formula is extremely worrying.
Health officials have recalled a batch of Nestle’s Nido Growing up Milk for one-year-olds and a batch of Lactogen Starter Infant Formula manufactured in July after they tested well above the internationally accepted level of 1mg of melamine per kilogram.
There can be nothing as frightening to a parent than the thought that they are inadvertently harming their child.
What is intriguing is the story of how the melamine found its way into the formula.
Officials believe that it was in milk from cows that were fed with a certain winter food, possibly imported from China.
Nestle, the manufacturer of the two batches says it has “taken steps to ensure that the cattle feed used by its South African milk producers is melamine free.”
Nestle spokesman Theo Mxakwe was at pains to stress that Nestle dairy products were “absolutely safe for consumption” following the total withdrawal of the contaminated batches.
While the news of the contamination is shocking, it is heartening to know that the problem was exposed during pre-emptive testing.
The department of agriculture has been asked to investigate animal feeds to ensure that they are free of the dangerous substance.
This is welcome news which suggests that government is being pro-active in its efforts to protect our health.
Perhaps it is time for health officials to inform the public in more detail about their programme to test foodstuffs and to release details of foods that have been tested and found to be uncontaminated.
There also needs to be more information provided to those who have been feeding their children with contaminated formula.
Should they have their baby examined or will such a short exposure have no effect?

Related posts:

1. Put aside the inflammatory rhetoric and give the babies formula
2. Formula One goes green
3. Is Lewis Hamilton too black for Formula 1?
4. Toxic foods: South Africa can’t even test for them
5. Grace Mugabe: Nestle better not underestimate Facebook