Safety concerns have long surrounded organic and conventional baby formulas, whether in powder, concentrated, or liquid form.  I am sure you all remember the most recent health alert concerning the presence of arsenic in baby formulas and other baby foods (and may have read my post about it, which researchers discovered was a result of the brown rice syrup and other brown rice products (brown rice is known to absorb arsenic from water).  A couple of years ago baby formulas containing DHA and ARA received attention, some claiming that DHA and ARA derived from laboratory grown algae and fungus should not be in organic (or conventional) formula. 

These concerns still exist today, coupled with some others:

- BPA in the lining of various canned / bottled formulas (better to choose powdered formula)
- Possible presence of pesticides and hormones in formulas derived from conventional cow’s milk (choose organic formulas)
- Contaminants in water (use filtered or spring water when preparing the formula)
- Hazardous materials such as BPA or phthalates in baby bottles (select BPA-free plastic, silicone, or glass bottles)

As the above concerns are relatively easy to remedy, let’s return to the arsenic and the algae/fungi issues.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to find a baby formula that contains neither. Bright Beginnings Organic, Earth’s Best Organic, Parent’s Choice, Organic Similac, and Organic Vermont Organics are all said to contain Martek DHA/ARA.

What exactly is the issue? Consumer groups say that Martek extracts the DHA oils from laboratory-grown fermented algae and the ARA from a non-toxic soil fungus using hexane, a chemical that is suspected to be a neurotoxin and is dentified as a hazardous air pollutant by the EPA in the same group as other cancer causing agents. Further, some argue that the algae is laboratory grown and, thus, it and its byproducts should not be considered organic.

Martek says that its DHA (marketed as “life’sDHA” present in a large number of products containing DHA) is “from algae, a vegetarian source of DHA. It’s produced, from start to finish, in an FDA-inspected facility with controls in place to ensure the highest quality. And because it is not from fish, there is no risk of ocean-borne pollutants. life’sDHA™ comes from a source that has not been genetically modified and is both Kosher and Halal. life’sDHA™ is accepted by the FDA for use in U.S. infant formulas and is the only DHA currently used in U.S. infant formulas.”

Nature’s One does NOT use Martek DHA / ARA (it derives the DHA / ARA from eggs through a water process).  So what is the problem with Nature’s One?  It’s main ingredient is brown rice syrup.

Not being a doctor, scientists, or just part of the process or knowing first hand how these components and formulas are made, it is hard to decide what and whom to believe – the USDA and the manufacturers or the consumer groups and certain researchers.  If you have the option, you may be better off breastfeeding and just avoid the whole issue.  And if you cannot or do not want to breastfeed, pick your “poison.” If safety is a greater concern than the organic integrity of the product, you might decide to go with the DHA/ARA products – the USDA/FDA claim the laboratory grown algae and fungi are safe. Nature’s One seems like a wonderful product, and perhaps all that is needed is some additional reassurance from the company that the products contain no arsenic.