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Thursday, August 09, 2012 | Mary Ann Benitez, Kelly Ip and JohnnyLo | The Standard

About 1,000 babies aged one to eight months need to have their blood tested after
being fed two Japanese-made infant formula that were banned in Hong Kong yesterday.

The seriously low level of iodine in the milk has sparked a thyroid scare, with slow mental
growth a danger.



The ban follows tests by the Centre for Food Safety on 40 products from 14 milk brands.

The tests began last year but, because of the low iodine level found in two Japanese brands,
Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man yesterday urged parents to take their babies
to maternal and child-health clinics for checks from tomorrow.

Low intake of iodine in milk may slow the production of thyroxine hormone in the thyroid
gland, leading to possible mental and physical retardation.

Wakodo Infant Formula and Morinaga Infant Milk Powder were banned and pulled off
the shelves for containing just one-third of the World Health Organization's recommended
levels of iodine.



Four other brands were also below WHO guidelines but met the exporting countries'
standards for iodine.

A government spokesman said these are Meiji Infant Formula made by Japanese company
Meiji Corporation; Snow Brand Smart Baby made in Australia, although its parent company
is from Japan; Physiolac Infant Milk 1, made by France's Laboratoires Gilbert; and Friso Infant
Formula Milk 1 made by Friesland Foods of the Netherlands.

Ko, speaking at a press briefing, denied there was a delay in telling the public.

Risk assessment and tests results came in on Monday, he said, and yesterday the
Department of Health arranged blood tests for the babies from tomorrow.

Ko said he advised mothers who use the banned milk to breastfeed their babies or switch
to other brands with acceptable iodine content.

He insisted the ban and checks are precautionary. There have been no cases of infants
suffering physical retardation or brain damage from the banned milk.

Centre for Food Safety consultant Philip Ho Yuk-yin said both banned brands made up
less than 3 percent of the formula market in Hong Kong.

Center controller Gloria Tam Lai- fung said Japanese mothers have naturally high levels
of iodine, which may have led to lower levels in milk powder.