By Rory Harrington

International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has said it backs scientific opinion that the growth hormone recombinant bovine somatropin (rbST) poses no health risk.

The trade body also declared that milk from cows given rbST is the same as other milk. The fact that many of its members sourced milk from animals not given the hormone was a response to consumer demand and not a safety issue, it added.

Elanco Study
The IDFA was speaking after rbST-producer Elanco published a review by a panel of experts which concluded milk from cows given the hormone was safe and posed no risk to humans.

The team of experts, led by former USDA food safety undersecretary Richard Raymond, dismissed any link between drinking rbST-supplemented milk and health risks – including the onset of early puberty and some forms of cancer.

"Upon extensive review of the scientific data, particularly the data on human health, the panel concludes with confidence that milk from rbST-supplemented cows, like all milk - organic, conventional or rbST-free - is a good and wholesome source of vital nutrients," said Dr. Raymond.

In the 1930s, it was discovered that increasing levels of bovine somatotrophin (bST), a hormone produced naturally by lactating cows, led to greater milk volumes. The artificial version - rbST was developed by Monsanto in 1994 and the hormone has been the subject of controversy ever since. Its use is banned in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, although bulk milk products from rbST-treated cows can still be used in food manufacture.

Dairy Body Backing
The IDFA, which was formed in 1990 and has just under 350 members, yesterday came out in agreement with the panel's findings, which had reviewed the scientific literature on the subject.

“A number of studies have concluded that milk from animals treated with rbST is the same, wholesome product that we have enjoyed for generations,” IDFA director of communications Peggy Armstrong told FoodProductionDaily.com.

She said this finding has been reaffirmed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - which first approved the use of rbST in 1993.

“FDA advises that there is no significant difference between milk derived from rbST-treated and non-rbST treated cows,” added Armstrong. “The International Dairy Foods Association supports science-based policies. We look to the FDA, other federal regulators and scientific research to guide us.”

Consumer Demand
The dairy association dismissed any suggestion that producers that were marketing rbST-free milk were doing do on health concerns.

Armstrong said: “In response to consumer requests for more choice in the dairy aisle, many dairy foods manufacturers are offering products made with milk from cows not treated with rbST. They make that clear with production claims on their product labels. The claims simply provide information that consumers want; they do not reflect any health or safety issues.”

Source: Dairy Reporter

http://www.dairyreporter.com/Publications/Food-Beverage-Nutrition/FoodProductionDaily.com/Quality-Safety/Dairy-industry-backs-science-on-rbST/?c=1I26HxtSbAzTH7FByIf4Zw%3D%3D&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily