Nestlé Removes GMO Ingredients from Baby Foods in South Africa, Not USA
Why has Nestlé, who owns a baby-formula producing company called Gerber, removed GMOs (genetically modified organisms) from baby foods and formulas in South Africa and not in the United States? Perhaps because South African parents are more vocal than Americans. Or it might also be because corporations conducting business in the U.S. are protected by government agencies who don’t seem to give a hoot about public health – not even of our most fragile citizens. Maybe it’s time we speak out for the sake of children’s health.
Nestlé has gone on record stating:
“. . . it took consumer preferences into consideration and therefore all its infant cereals in South Africa used non-GM maize,” according to GMWatch.
Last year, the African Center for Biosafety (ACB) found that Nestle’s Cerelac Honey contained 77.65% GM Maize. The same group also conducted independent and accredited lab tests on 7 baby formulas and cereals, finding that ‘Purity’ brands contained extremely high levels of GMOs. It seems they are anything but ‘pure.’
Now, Nestlé’s infant formulas and cereals, at least in South Africa, seem to indicate that Nestle is going GM free.
Meanwhile, Europe and other countries report that Nestlé does not use GMO in their baby products – and the U.S. versions still contain them in high quantities, even though Purity brands has now gone GMO-free.
Nestlé is in the company of Abbott Laboratories (makers of Similac), and Mead Johnson Nutrition (makers of Enfamil), who are also exposing American and Canadian babies to unhealthy and under-studied GMOs.
The top-selling formulas of these companies, which combined account for 90% of formula sales in the U.S., contain corn, sugar, or soy—all ingredients which are highly likely to be genetically engineered. And for now, the companies are not required to disclose that these products contain these health-harming ingredients.
These companies have also contributed vast amounts of money to defeat GMO labeling in the U.S.:
- Mead Johnson Nutrition spent $80,000 in anti-labeling campaigns in California in 2013 (in WA, I-522 amounts are undisclosed). They have since withdrawn from financing anti-labeling efforts.
- Nestlé, who says their ‘Good Start’ Formulas are ‘better than breastmilk’, has spent more than $1,461,600 against the consumer’s right to know about GMO ingredients.
- Abbott Laboratories has spent $334,500 to turn down Prop 37 in California which would have given CA residents the right to know what is in their food.
Perhaps these contributions to our Congress and Senate members are the real reason why our babies are still being fed GMO formula and cereal in the U.S. while these toxic ingredients are banned or omitted in other countries.
Maybe not because American parents are any less vigilant than South African ones, but that American parents have a massive uphill battle against gov agencies supporting Monsanto? Is it possible for Natural Society perhaps to add a column to their site, displaying countries globally that to date, have banned GMO’s entirely? Maybe it is already on your site, but that I have just not discovered it yet.
Most American parents are ignorant. That’s why the GMO industries have gained such ground here.
Monsanto also concentrated more on the US in its media campaigns, including people posing as others online such as with the Bivings group. It targets popular sites such as reddit and spreads immense propaganda, trying to make it always hit the top. It has socially engineered many people to feel like they’re “in the know” if they’re for GMOs, and tried to portray those who don’t as “ignorant” or lame. The result is 20-something year old Joes going around the net actually arguing their GMOs for them, despite the fact that they know nothing about GMOs it’s been what they’ve been conditioned to think.
Find it puzzling that petitions and activists often demand the labeling of GMO’s… while labeling might be considered a step forward, is it? — While labeling may give consumers the choice to protect themselves against GMO products, the bigger picture is that we are treating the symptoms – not the cause, as labeling allows GMO’s to continue contaminating and poisoning our planet and specifically, the foods of people in third world countries. The answer to GMO’s is that official voices and activists worldwide should rise up and call for GMO’s to be BANNED entirely. Are we not just wounding the monster, when we need to cut off its head!?
One step at a time. You’ll be just as lucky getting depleted uranium banned. The first step is to inform the public. Once the public is informed, people will then make the “informed” choice to get rid of the stuff.
I agree. The first step is labelling.
Unfortunately it seems that not enough people really care. I often hear the ignorant motto, “we’re all going to die from something.” It’s really beyond me how we have so quickly (or so it seems) become an apathetic society until something happens to someone or someone close to them. :/