Infant Nutrition Council raising concerns about WHO's recommendations to prepare a formula feed for a baby from powdered formula

[Strawberriesandkiwis]

I am researching formula feeding and came across this article from Infant Nutrition Council (of Australia/New Zealand) expressing concern of WHO's recommendation of using water of 70C degrees to mix the powder with to "kill off" the bacteria in the formula powder.

The article raises some (to me anyway) valid points.

As per the article: "The Infant Nutrition Council is concerned about the WHO recommendation to prepare formula by using water at 70°C to prevent E. sakazakii and other bacterium. This option has a number of drawbacks that have not been fully appreciated and which, while potentially minimising one problem, may increase other infant health risks."

I'm now considering using the method mentioned in the article to prepare my own baby's bottles.

Hopefully the article will open but if not, you can just Google "Position on the safe preparation and handling of powdered infant formula" and it will be the first search result/PDF to come up.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.infantnutritioncouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/preparation-of-infant-formula-and-safety-around-70-degrees.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjtu_7Q8u_xAhWdhf0HHRznDg4QFjAAegQIBBAC&usg=AOvVaw31AUCXYiQxDEFnzkv17k7t" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.infantnutritioncouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/preparation-of-infant-formula-and-safety-around-70-degrees.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjtu_7Q8u_xAhWdhf0HHRznDg4QFjAAegQIBBAC&usg=AOvVaw31AUCXYiQxDEFnzkv17k7t

Opinions? Thoughts? If I go to my health visitor or ask anyone from the NHS they will just quote their guidelines again I would imagine.

Is that really from 2013?
Haven't heard of mass scaldings taking place since the guidelines changed to making it with 70⁰C water.

Edit: If the article isn't the first search result when you Google "Position on the safe preparation and handling of powdered infant formula" then it should be the second search result as per my attached screenshot.

Theres a fair few "mays" and "mights" in that article.

There are ways to prevent scalding. There are ways to prevent using 100° water.

From what I can tell the only way to make the formula powder 100% safe from germs is to mix it with water over 70°.

Surely better advice on how to achieve the right balance would he better - eg using a 70° hot shot and topping up with the right volume of pre boiled cooled water. Or setting a timer that beeps 5mins after the kettle has boiled so the water is not still 100°.

Why do you want to use the other method?

@dementedpixie

Is that really from 2013? Haven't heard of mass scaldings taking place since the guidelines changed to making it with 70⁰C water.

I'm much more concerned of "2.2: Nutrient destruction and quality of formula" and some of the other points raised in the article (steam rising from the bottle when using the scoop etc.).

"There is genuine risk of nutrient destruction under advice to mix formula with water at 70C"

The full article is quite interesting and if the advice is to be followed I think it makes parents' life and bottle feeding a lot easier as well.

Wouldn't we have seen babies with nutrient deficiencies in the last 8 years if that was the case?

I made my DC bottles in advance. No one died.

Did you make them with hot water though? That's seen as the important step

@Pissinthepottyplease

Why do you want to use the other method?

I'm only researching and wanting opinions at this stage, but I'm interested in the method in case it's better/safer and it also sounds more convenient than having to worry about water cooling down to exactly 70c and no higher or lower.

Perfect prep machine is the way to go

@dementedpixie

Wouldn't we have seen babies with nutrient deficiencies in the last 8 years if that was the case?

Yes, this is a valid point. The current recommended method is fine, but, what I'm wondering is, could this method be even better and also more convenient?

So WHO or infant formula manufacturers on the safe preparation of formula (Infant Nutrition council is a trade body for formula manufacturers) now the WHO are far from perfect but think they’re a tad more reliable.

You can read the WHO evidence for yourself and make your own informed decisions. For example it is very clear that E sakazakii is predominantly a risk to very young or sick babies. That it is very rare but utterly catastrophic when it occurs. That safe formula prep does reduce incidence (France and the US where room temp water is more commonly used have a higher incidence and more babies die though still very small numbers). That nutrients are not destroyed at 70 degrees which is 1 litre of water boiled and cooled for half an hour.

Nobody is forcing you to follow guidelines. You can choose what risks you want to take. Personally my choice was
Preterm or sick- ready made where possible
Healthy term infant- make up according to guidelines, flash cool and refrigerate
Older baby in challenging situations occasionally use room temp/warm water and feed immediately as risk extremely low at this age.

@Hoowhoowho

So WHO or infant formula manufacturers on the safe preparation of formula (Infant Nutrition council is a trade body for formula manufacturers) now the WHO are far from perfect but think they’re a tad more reliable.

You can read the WHO evidence for yourself and make your own informed decisions. For example it is very clear that E sakazakii is predominantly a risk to very young or sick babies. That it is very rare but utterly catastrophic when it occurs. That safe formula prep does reduce incidence (France and the US where room temp water is more commonly used have a higher incidence and more babies die though still very small numbers). That nutrients are not destroyed at 70 degrees which is 1 litre of water boiled and cooled for half an hour.

Nobody is forcing you to follow guidelines. You can choose what risks you want to take. Personally my choice was
Preterm or sick- ready made where possible
Healthy term infant- make up according to guidelines, flash cool and refrigerate
Older baby in challenging situations occasionally use room temp/warm water and feed immediately as risk extremely low at this age.

Thanks. I'm going to continue as per the NHS/WHO guidelines.