I was interested to read about a small but important Agency study examining consumer and healthcare professionals understanding of the term 'non-sterile', and their attitudes towards labelling and advice on powdered infant formula milk.
Although the concept of 'non-sterile' was understood, very few of those questioned realised that powdered infant formula milk was actually a non-sterile food product and contains micro-organisms. There was an assumption that all canned and bottled foods are sterile, at least until they are opened.
In fact, very few food products can be described as being 'sterile', the dictionary definition for which is 'free from bacteria or other living micro-organisms'. Once opened, even sterile foods cease to be bug-free because of the micro-organisms in the environment, hence the importance of following any storage instructions provided on the label.
Tinned foods such as baked beans get a high temperature cook during the production process and are described as being ‘commercially sterile’. This means that although harmful micro-organisms such as Clostridium botulinum should be destroyed or aren’t able to grow, the food isn't completely sterile. Contrastingly there are many foods where micro-organisms are added intentionally as an integral part of the product, such as various types of yoghurt, cheeses and probiotic products.
Currently foods aren't labelled as either 'sterile' or 'non-sterile'. It's important in the case of powdered infant formula milk that parents and others choosing or needing to feed formula to babies should be made aware that it isn’t sterile. By making this clear we can help reinforce the importance of following carefully the instructions for the preparation and use of formula.
This is an important issue because infant formula is occasionally contaminated with bacteria that may be harmful to babies, such as Enterobacter sakazakii which was found recently in a batch of baby food imported from Uganda.
This work has raised a number of points that I am sure may spark an interesting debate. Let me know what you think.
Labelling powdered infant formula as 'non-sterile' - meeting