Administration bans two fatty acid additives in organic baby food

Kimberly Kindy is reporting in the Washington Post online that on Tuesday the Obama Administration banned the use of the synthetic additives omega-3 fatty acid DHA and omega-6 fatty acid ARA in certified organic baby formula and baby foods. This is because these two ingredients have not "received legal approval for use in organic products." Despite the lack of approval, the two fatty acids in question are found in 90 percent of organic baby formula.

It is now up to the US Department of Agriculture to draft the guidelines that will allow for the gradual phasing out of the two additives. Kindy reports that this process could take a year to complete. While this is going on the producers of the fatty acid additives plan to petition the National Organic Standards Board to allow the acids in organic foods.

To read Kindy's article in the Washington Post online, click here.
To visit the USDA's National Organic Program website, click here.
To learn more about the National Organic Program and related laws, click here to visit the National Agricultural Law Center's Reading Room on the National Organic Program.

Posted: 04/28/10