Infant Formula Information

Infant formula means “an infant formula product represented as a breast milk substitute for infants and which satisfies the nutritional requirements of infants aged up to around six months although infant formula is suitable for feeding infants up to 12 months of age.”

When a baby is not being breastfed the only suitable and safe alternative is a commercially available infant formula. Infant formula has been specifically developed to contain all the necessary ingredients needed to meet an infant’s nutritional requirements.

The National Health and Medical Research Council does not recommend giving cow’s milk to babies under 12 months. For babies under a year old, cow’s milk is too high in proteins, salt and can affect immature kidneys – it’s also too low in iron and other vitamins and minerals and difficult for young tummies to digest.

It is also not recommended to give babies fruit juice or soft drinks. Both fruit juice and soft drinks can cause tooth decay and are nutritionally deficient for babies.

Follow-on formulas are for the non breast-fed infant from 6 months of age as a liquid part of the weaning diet and which constitutes the principal source of nourishment in a progressively diversified diet for infants aged from six months.

When a baby is not being exclusively breastfed commercial infant formula is the only alternative for the first 12 months of life. Follow on formula is also suitable from 6 to 12 months. Diluted milk mixtures or formulas based on evaporated, powdered or condensed milk are not suitable for infant feeding.

All infant formula available in New Zealand and Australia is made to the stringent standards required by the regulatory code for food supply in Australia and New Zealand, which is governed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand.

The raw materials used in the manufacture of infant formula and of the final product itself must meet very strict specifications. The highest standards throughout the manufacturing process involve thorough heat treatment which ensures the microbiological safety of the product. Quality control procedures are very strict and stringent standards of hygiene are in force throughout. The risk of potential contaminants is kept to an absolute minimum complying with national and/or international recommendations.

It must be realized however that infant formula powder is not, and cannot be, sterile. To make it so would probably damage some essential components used for making up infant formula.

Yes. Infant formulas are very safe provided they are prepared, stored and used correctly. Attention to instructions provided by the manufacturer however must be followed to ensure safety.

All infant formulas available in Australia and New Zealand comply with the essential compositional requirements of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand Standard 2.9.1 and as such, are adequate in providing nutrition to infants. Gold Infant formulas contain additional ingredients such as long chain Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids (AA & DHA) which may be important for infant growth and development compared to standard infant formulas.

By producing two standards of infant formula parents and carers are able to choose a formula for a certain ingredient, or indeed the formula design to meet the specific nutritional needs of their child.

It is sometimes claimed that “infant formulas are full of sugar”. This statement is incorrect. Sugar in the form of lactose is present in human milk at rather higher levels [around 7%] than cow’s milk, and it is considered a very important source of readily available calories for the baby. Infant formulas have been formulated to contain lactose in those amounts found in Breast milk. Soy formulas do not contain lactose although the carbohydrate level is the same.

There is no conclusive science to support a relationship between obesity and formula feeding. Obesity is a multi factorial disease that is affected by many factors. For more information on infant feeding and obesity click here.

Soy infant formulas should only be used on the advice of a GP or other health professional. Other than soy infant formula other soy or rice beverages should not be used.