FSSAI action on expired infant formula reignites breastfeeding advice
After FSSAI found expired infant formula at companies, doctors reiterate that breastfeeding is best and formula is rarely advised.
A recent enforcement drive by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at private companies has brought infant formula products under scrutiny after expired items were discovered. In the wake of these findings, paediatricians and lactation consultants are reiterating that breastfeeding remains the safest and most recommended option for newborns.
Health experts point out that mother's milk is the primary source of nutrition for infants. In exceptional circumstances where a mother cannot feed, alternatives such as pasteurised milk from certified milk banks or specific dairy products may be considered, but only under medical guidance.
Hajira Tarannum, an infant and young child feeding counsellor and nutritionist at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH), explained that most hospitals actively promote early breastfeeding. She noted that formula milk is generally not advised even when a mother faces difficulties. In cases where milk expression is an issue, she suggested that certain dairy products, like a specific variety of milk, could be used after boiling and cooling without dilution.
Tarannum cautioned that commercial formula foods are often marketed as being close to mother's milk, but they are not. She also highlighted that these products are costly and warned against feeding cow milk to infants, as it can lead to digestive problems.
Niranjan, a neonatologist at IGICH, described the hospital's milk bank system, where donated milk is screened for various infections. He added that doctors generally do not encourage mothers to donate milk if it reduces the supply for their own infants.
Lactation consultant Joyce Jayaseelan of Fortis Hospital elaborated on global guidelines, which suggest that no formula should be given to infants below six months of age. She explained that introducing formula early can interfere with breastfeeding. After six months, semi-solid foods can be introduced alongside continued breastfeeding.