More information on infant formula labels for mothers

Infant formula manufacturers want to put more information on labels so mothers can make better-informed choices about which product to buy, says the Infant Nutrition Council (INC).

“This has absolutely nothing to do with product pricing, as claimed by an Australian academic,” says INC Chief Executive Jan Carey.

“The implication that the infant formula industry is concerned more about price than the health and safety of infants is alarming and does not help mothers who just want more information on products.

“The infant formula industry is dedicated to providing safe and healthy options for mothers who cannot breast feed their babies or who choose not to, and that includes making as much information as possible available on the label.

“Research shows that one in three mothers feel they receive insufficient information when they're buying formula for the first time, while 40 per cent say they’re not aware of the ingredients and nutrients in a product.

“Not all infant formula products are the same. Different manufacturers innovate with different new and improved ingredients, which can be added only after approval by food safety regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

“But the law as it stands won’t allow us to show this by putting that information on to the front of labels, and that means mothers can’t differentiate between products to find the most suitable product for their baby.

“FSANZ is presently reviewing the standards that govern what we can put on labels, and INC is proposing improvements that address this.”

© Scoop Media