...But just in case you do can I pass on this information:
Electronic advice to HCPs, particularly health visitors,
midwives,
> dietitians, pharmacists and GPs
>
>
> Advice on infant milks based on goats' milk
>
>
> • From 17th September 2006 infant milks based on goats' milk
> protein will no longer be sold in the UK.
>
> • Health care professionals should inform mothers that infant
> milks based on goats' milk protein are not suitable as a source of
> nutrition for infants (under 1 year of age).
>
> • Parents have used these milks for various reasons but goats'
> milk is not suitable for those with an allergy to cows' milk
protein
> nor for those with lactose intolerance.
>
> The composition of infant formula and follow-on formula is
governed
> by European legislation. The current legislation only permits
infant
> formulae and follow-on formulae to be based on cows' milk protein,
> hydrolysed protein or soya protein. Goats' milk is therefore not
> permitted as a source of protein in infant formula and follow-on
> formula and as such cannot continue to be legally sold in the UK.
>
> European Commission Regulations
> A manufacturer previously asked the European Commission to include
> goats milk protein to the list of allowed protein sources for
infant
> and follow-on formula and provided a dossier of supporting
evidence.
> The evidence presented was assessed by the European Food Safety
> Authority (EFSA) who concluded that the available scientific data
> was insufficient to establish the suitability of goats' milk as a
> protein source in infant and follow-on formula. It was also of the
> view that there was no convincing data to support the belief that
> the incidence of allergic reaction is lower when feeding goats'
milk
> based formula compared to cows' milk based formula.
>
> Last year, the European Commission asked EFSA to review its
> assessment of the suitability of the use of goats' milk protein in
> infant formulae as further information had been made available by
a
> manufacturer. EFSA reviewed the dossier of additional information
> and published its opinion on 12 January 2006 that confirmed its
> previous view
>
(
http://www.efsa.
<http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/nda/nda_statements/catindex_en.html>
eu.int/science/nda/nda_statements/catindex_en.html).
> The Food Standards Agency has contacted UK
> manufacturers/distributors of these products to ask them to stop
> marketing goats' milk products for infants in the UK after 17th
> September 2006.
>
> Department of Health Recommendations
> In light of the EFSA opinion, the Department of Health (DH)
advises
> health professionals not to recommend infant milks based on goats'
> milk protein as a source of nutrition for infants (under 1 year of
> age).
>
> It is important that parents have the best possible support
> regarding infant feeding. Health care professionals should make
> clients who are using infant milks based on goats milk aware that
> they will no longer be available in the UK from 17th September
2006.
> Parents should be given individual advice about the most
appropriate
> infant formula to use.
>
> Some parents believe that infant and follow-on milk based on
goats'
> milk protein is a suitable alternative for babies who are
intolerant
> or allergic to cows' milk formula. However, there is no evidence
to
> suggest that this is the case.
>
> There is also no convincing evidence to support the belief that
> babies are less likely to suffer from allergic reactions when fed
> goats' milk-based infant milk compared to cows' milk-based infant
> formula.
>
> Goats' milk is not a suitable milk source for a cows' milk
allergic
> infant and there is the potential for life threatening reactions
due
> to cross allergenicity. The protein in goats' milk is very similar
> to that found in cows' milk and most babies who react to cows'
milk
> protein will also react to goats' milk protein. Infants with
proven
> cows' milk protein intolerance can be prescribed an extensively
> hydrolysed infant formula.
>
> Formula derived from goats' milk is also unsuitable for babies who
> are lactose intolerant as it contains similar levels of lactose to
> cows' milk based infant formulae.
Thanks x
