Organic Infant Formulas with DHA/ARA

Parents should be aware of the following Notice about Infant Formulas with DHA/ARA

In 2001, US infant formula manufacturers began adding a novel source of DHA and ARA that is manufactured by Martek Biosciences Corp. This DHA is derived from strains of algae; the ARA is manufactured using a non-toxigenic soil fungus. In 2006, organic infant formula companies began promoting their use of this same ingredient. The following is the manufacturing process described by Martek:
"The oil is then separated from the dried biomass by hexane extraction and centrifugation and/or filtration, followed by winterization. The hexane phase undergoes additional centrifugation/filtration to remove solids then the winterized oil is heated and treated with acid. Subsequently, the oil is treated with caustic, centrifuged, bleached and deodorized." ¹ Learn more at Cornucopia Institute
Sam Zeller, Ph.D. - Martek Biosciences Corporation, Food & Drug Administration Agency Response Letter, GRAS Notice No. GRN 000137
life'sDHA is a registered trademark of Martek Biosciences Corporation.

Also this report by Cornucopia Institute about the soybean industry sheds some light on companies  who we can trust and those who we probably cannot.  

tv and your baby - latest study shows poor results in language

I have to admit that we own a few baby Einstein videos, and we didn't think twice about showing them to our son. However now that this study came out we will think twice. La Times reports

Parents hoping to raise baby Einsteins by using infant educational videos are actually creating baby Homer Simpsons, according to a new study released today.

For every hour a day that babies 8 to 16 months old were shown such popular series as "Brainy Baby" or "Baby Einstein," they knew six to eight fewer words than other children, the study found.

Parents aiming to put their babies on the fast track, even if they are still working on walking, each year buy hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of the videos. Unfortunately it's all money down the tubes, according to Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle.

We really didn't think these videos were going to give him that much more in terms of intelligence and vocab skills, but the fact that it can impede his development is very disappointing. Actually the The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children under 24 months.