May 6, 2010

Nestle Is NOT Amused By Enfamil's Sugary, Chocolatey Toddler Formula

Enfagrow-285x300.jpgHoly crap! Formula Freakout! I just read on Twitter that dadwagon had a new post about a Los Angeles Times article about the momblogger outrage over Enfagrow, Enfamil's new flavored [and sugar-loaded] toddler formula! Which went on sale in February.

While thus contemplating the pointlessness of my dadblogging existence, I began to worry what other deeply relevant topics I might be missing out on by not clicking through all those momlogic.com email blasts.

And I wondered if I should use some of the blogger outrage I'd been saving from Similac's introduction of the first sucrose-sweetened infant formula two years ago.

Then I saw this:

Nestle, who purchased a 29-ounce package of Enfagrow recently for $18.99 (22 servings) to study the product, said it will lead children who drink it to crave sugary beverages.
, and I'm like, hey-o, who what? If anyone knows about adding heaping teaspoons of flavored sugar to kids beverages, it's Nestle!
Nestle [a nutrition and public health professor at NYU] criticized Enfagrow on her blog http://www.foodpolitics.com. The post automatically feeds to the Atlantic Monthly's website and has been cross-posted on mommy blogs across the Internet.

She complained to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, arguing that--

Uh, first up, the LAT quotes momlogic.com, but it's really just an excerpt from Nestle's own post. Als, from here, it looks like she only complained about the FDA, on her blog. Is the FDA acting on blog posts now? Because if there's another thing Nestle knows about, it's misleading and deceptive formula marketing, and the pooh-poohing dismissal the FDA spokesman gave the LA Times completely misses the point.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pour the kid a bowl of Chocolate Cheerio's and squirt a shot of Hershey's Genuine [sic] Syrup into her sippy cup; it's the only way we can get her to eat these days.

Mead Johnson Nutrition Co's new Chocolate- and vanilla-flavored formulas for toddlers are criticized [lat via dadwagon]
Chocolate Toddler Formula? [foodpolitics.com]
In case you're listening, FDA, fix your damn recall process!
Previously: Sweeet. Similac Sucrose Organic Formula A Gateway Drug For Lucky Charms

9 Comments

Since I am training my kids to be Olympic athletes and Ivy-league students, they are on the strawberry Quik and Pop-tarts diet.

Are toddlers even supposed to drink formula? I guess some may need it for medical reasons. My kid gets two percent and whole milk.

I guess Enfamil is trying to MILK the whole formula racket for as long as they can. What next? Powdered energy-drink formula for teenagers?

formula for kids 2&under is regulated as a basic nutrition source by the FDA, which determines the contents/makeup, as well as the claims they're allowed to make for it. [How Similac's added-sugar organic soy infant formula meshes with that, I don't know offhand.]

Enfamil says this "toddler formula" for use in transitioning kids from formula to milk and other food, and is classifying it as a dietary "supplement," which is not subject to the same regulations. The FDA flack said as much, without addressing any of Prof. Nestle's real criticisms: e.g., that it's actually called "formula," and that there are health claims and emphases about Omega-3 and stuff that try to insinuate that it's superior to milk.

was I the only one who read the headline and thought 'really? The bete noire of breastfeeding is calling out another formula company for being un-healthy? that takes some serious ...um... cheek'

It took me to the second quote to realize my error.

I know, right? Just think of all the disruptive press release fun you could have if you were a nutrition activist/scientist named Nestle.

Maybe I'm missing something here (it's still early here on the west coast), but Marion Nestle (pronounced Nessle) IS a nutrition acitivist/scientist.

you recently sent infant formula to my adress im not interested in purchasing anything thank you (25 monument avenue freedom ca. 95019 )please take me off your mailing list
t5

wasn't me, pal.

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