World Health Organisation Guidelines on the Safe Preparation of Formula | ExpatWoman.com
 

World Health Organisation Guidelines on the Safe Preparation of Formula

2937
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 21:11
DubaiCat, the press totally misreported the BMJ article. Advice hasn't changed - the best thing is still (as Wickedangel says) to let your baby be the guide :). Some babies are ready before 6 months, some after. That's the message I got from the story I read; it [i'>may[/i'> not be best to wait until six months if your baby shows signs of being ready earlier. There are so many factors to consider, not least who funds what and who has an interest in what! I think we should all have a vegetable patch in the garden and feed our babies fresh veg from there when they're ready :).
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 21:08
DubaiCat, the press totally misreported the BMJ article. Advice hasn't changed - the best thing is still (as Wickedangel says) to let your baby be the guide :). Some babies are ready before 6 months, some after. Yep, and a number of the "scientists" involved in producing that paper "used" to work for baby food manufactuerers! Who benefits if we all start to wean early?!! Hmm.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 20:19
DubaiCat, the press totally misreported the BMJ article. Advice hasn't changed - the best thing is still (as Wickedangel says) to let your baby be the guide :). Some babies are ready before 6 months, some after.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 19:40
I read the other day that the six-month thing may not be the right advice after all. I give up! loooooool, yeah, I read that. The best thing is to follow your LO's lead. DS was ready for solids at 6.5-7 months. I tried to start solids at week 20 but he started to drop milk feeds, so we had to stop & start again at 6.5 months. Until now (14 months) he only eats 1 main meal with 1-2 snacks.
2937
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 18:56
I read the other day that the six-month thing may not be the right advice after all. I give up!
904
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EW GURU
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 13:17
Just out of curiosity then (playing devils advocate) why on the tins does the preparation instructions indicate using cool boiled water to prepare? Because our tins here are outdated. I think in the UK it says boil & leave it to cool, then prepare at 70 oC but here it still says prepare at 40 oC & feed at 37 oC. Even those red/blue books issued by the government for vaccines, the last page says introduce solids at 4 months & the new guideline is 6 months.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 12:46
A quote from nhs.uk "Even when tins and packets of powdered infant formula are sealed, they can sometimes contain bacteria such as Cronobacter sakazakii (formerly known as Enterobacter sakazakii) and, more rarely, Salmonella. Although these bacteria are very rare, the infections they cause can be life-threatening. To reduce the risk of bacteria, prepare each feed freshly and correctly, using boiled water at a temperature of at least 70ºC. Water at this temperature will kill the bacteria."
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 12:36
Because the risk of an occurence of food poisoning is small/rare (in the developed world anyway) and the formula companies are more likely to be sued for a child being scalded by hot water than food poisoning. I am no conspiracy theorist (I promise!) but let's not forget that the dairy industry is MIGHTY in most western/developed countries. Why would the World Health Organisation contradict the formula companies? Because the risk exists... ETA - I did say when I opened this can of worms on the other thread that the risk of getting food poisoning from formula is small. Trouble is the consequences of that food poisoning are severe should it happen. HTH. <em>edited by frannie on 19/01/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 19 January 2011 - 08:51
Just out of curiosity then (playing devils advocate) why on the tins does the preparation instructions indicate using cool boiled water to prepare?
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EW GURU
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 23:43
And what about if you are going outside and need to take a few bottles with you? What is the most practical way to be 'on the move" while respecting the safety guidelines? I use NAN and as far as I know there are no ready made cartons available, please correct me if I am wrong!! A small flask with hot water (Jashnmal have small light weight ones), a 500 mls water bottle & a formula despenser. xx
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 21:35
And what about if you are going outside and need to take a few bottles with you? What is the most practical way to be 'on the move" while respecting the safety guidelines? I use NAN and as far as I know there are no ready made cartons available, please correct me if I am wrong!!
904
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EW GURU
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 19:26
Hurrah. I am now clear! Thanks :D. ETA: Sorry, I wasn't being deliberately dim. A week of reasonable sleep isn't quite enough to clear away the cobwebs of seven months' worth of sleep deprivation! edited by DubaiCat on 18/01/2011 I know hun, big hugs. All this formula preparing is really confusing. xxx
2937
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 19:20
Hurrah. I am now clear! Thanks :D. ETA: Sorry, I wasn't being deliberately dim. A week of reasonable sleep isn't quite enough to clear away the cobwebs of seven months' worth of sleep deprivation! <em>edited by DubaiCat on 18/01/2011</em>
904
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EW GURU
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 18:52
This is the current confusion on the other thread :). I think I just 'got' what another poster was trying to explain, though. When you need a feed add a small amount of &gt;70 degree water to the formula powder to sterilise it, then add cooled boiled water to make it up to the right amount. Then you get the safety of sterilising the powder and the safety of not having to store the feed. Right? Yes, yes yes :D I tried to explain it several times here. 1oz of hot water is enough to sterilze the whole amount of formula, then top up with cool water, & your feed is ready. It takes less than 2 mins to prepare. I was using a small flask to keep hot water esp for night feeds & when going out.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 18:27
Of course; sorry I wasn't clear. I was just replying to the first part of your post where you said that you don't need to sterilise the powder. Many people believe that formula powder is sterile, as it is only in recent years that the formula industry and health authorities have realised contamination is a potential problem. When I had my first child (it really doesn't seem that long ago LOL), we were not recommended to make up formula using hot water. Recommendations change as new information is learned.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 17:57
This is the point, though, as outlined on the other thread. Formula powder is not a sterile product and may be contaminated with bacteria such as e sakazakii. For formula powder to be sold sterile, some of the nutrients would be lost in the process. The chances of powder being contaminated are low, but e sak can cause very serious illness in young babies. E sak is killed at temps above 70C, hence current recommendations yo use hot water to make up powdered feeds. sure, but then why should anyone think that normal food hygiene "rules" not apply to it once made up as per instructions? When you buy a ready-meal in a shop (which formula is) you have to reheat it to piping hot before you consume it. You don't reheat, cool it and reheat it, you don't leave it out at room temperature and you don't just warm it. Anything short of that and you know you are opening yourself up to food poisoning.
671
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EW GURU
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 17:45
This is the current confusion on the other thread :). I think I just 'got' what another poster was trying to explain, though. When you need a feed add a small amount of &gt;70 degree water to the formula powder to sterilise it, then add cooled boiled water to make it up to the right amount. Then you get the safety of sterilising the powder and the safety of not having to store the feed. Right? Yes!
671
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 17:44
This is the point, though, as outlined on the other thread. Formula powder is not a sterile product and may be contaminated with bacteria such as e sakazakii. For formula powder to be sold sterile, some of the nutrients would be lost in the process. The chances of powder being contaminated are low, but e sak can cause very serious illness in young babies. E sak is killed at temps above 70C, hence current recommendations yo use hot water to make up powdered feeds.
192
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 17:33
This is the current confusion on the other thread :). I think I just 'got' what another poster was trying to explain, though. When you need a feed add a small amount of &gt;70 degree water to the formula powder to sterilise it, then add cooled boiled water to make it up to the right amount. Then you get the safety of sterilising the powder and the safety of not having to store the feed. Right? apart from the fact you don't need to sterilise the powder - it's dry, and has been packaged in a sterile environments, so is unlikely to be a platform for bacteria to grow whilst it's still dry. The whole prep thing is to make sure that the "milk" isn't out at room temp for long. The longer it's left, once prepared, the more likely bacteria are going to grow. Think about how you treat fresh milk (or any other foodstuff) - would you heat it up, cool it down, pop it back in the fridge then heat it up again a bit (but not to boiling) when you're ready to drink/ eat it, heat it up and leave it out for a few hours before drinking/ eating it or would you heat it up, let it cool to taste and drink/eat it there and then? Which method would be most likely to avoid food poisoning? It's just common sense really.
2937
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 17:08
This is the current confusion on the other thread :). I think I just 'got' what another poster was trying to explain, though. When you need a feed add a small amount of &gt;70 degree water to the formula powder to sterilise it, then add cooled boiled water to make it up to the right amount. Then you get the safety of sterilising the powder and the safety of not having to store the feed. Right?
192
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 16:01
Thanks for posting this. As I'm reading it, you have a choice of two risks: 1. You add cooled boiled water when making up a feed just before use and therefore risk not killing any bacteria that might be in the powder, or 2. You add water hotter than 70 degrees, cool it quickly and store it in the fridge then therefore take the risk that something might go wrong during the storage time, i.e. your fridge might be warmer than 5 degrees for some reason on that day. And the WHO thinks the second risk is the lesser of two evils. Is that about right or am I off on the wrong track? Aren't you meant to prepare it fresh every time? I thought most recommendations are to not store pre-prepared milk. Most of my friends who ff have a sterile bottle of boiled, cooled water that they then blitz in the microwave until it's hot, then add the formula, wait to cool to taste and there you go. Alternatively, they bring out a bottle of previously boiled water in a sterile bottle that's been kept hot, then add the formula just before the feed.
2937
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 15:54
Thanks for posting this. As I'm reading it, you have a choice of two risks: 1. You add cooled boiled water when making up a feed just before use and therefore risk not killing any bacteria that might be in the powder, or 2. You add water hotter than 70 degrees, cool it quickly and store it in the fridge then therefore take the risk that something might go wrong during the storage time, i.e. your fridge might be warmer than 5 degrees for some reason on that day. And the WHO thinks the second risk is the lesser of two evils. Is that about right or am I off on the wrong track?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 January 2011 - 15:31
I thought this would help those who were on the other thread where this discussion came up: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Care_en.pdf
 
 

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