rBST / rBGH - Banned outside the United States
POSILAC - Bovine somatotropin (bST), or bovine growth hormone (BGH), is a specific type of growth hormone that is primarily released by the anterior pituitary gland of cattle.
In addition to regulating somatic growth, bGH also influences the amount of milk produced by a dairy cow. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as rBST is a synthetic version of BGH that is injected into a cow to artificially maintain her milk production.
The sale of Posilac is illegal in virtually every developed country with the exception of the United States. [27] In the United States, the use of rbST has been approved by the FDA.
In Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, rbST is not approved for use. [28]
The European Union declared the use of rbST as safe in 1990, but in 1993, a moratorium was placed on its sale by all 25 member nations.
Canada's health board, Health Canada, refused to approve rBGH for use on Canadian dairies, citing concerns over animal health. The study they had commissioned, however, found "no biologically plausible reason for concern about human safety if rbST were to be approved for sale in Canada.
The only exception to this statement is... (possible hypersensitivity)."[29]
Voluntary removal of rBGH from the milk supply
No milk is free of BST. [38] However, several milk purchasers and resellers do not purchase milk produced with rBGH. As of February 2007, Safeway in the Northwestern United States stopped buying from dairy farmers that use rBGH[citation needed]. The two Safeway plants produce milk for all of Oregon, Southwest Washington, and parts of northern California. Safeway's plant in San Leandro, CA had already been rBGH-free for two years.
Trader Joes supermarkets only sell rBST-free milk, be it organic or not. Their non-organic rBST-free milk is not more expensive than major supermarkets' milk. Another company going rBGH free is Chipotle Mexican Grill that has also announced it will only serve rBGH-free sour cream at its more than 530 restaurants.[39] Kroger Company has announced its intent to sell only milk produced without synthetic hormones by February 2008.[40]
Publix Supermarket Consumer Relations department says "Publix milk has been rBST/rBGH free since May of this year [2007] and is readily available in all fat levels and sizes at your neighborhood Publix."
References
27.
^http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/dairy/bovine-growth-hormone/rbgh-fact-sheet
28.
^http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1447.shtml
29.
^http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/vet/issues-enjeux/rbst-stbr/rep_rcpsc-rap_crmcc_e.html
38.
^http://www.monsantodairy.com/about/human_safety/ifst_rbst1.html
39.
^[2]
Safeway & Chipotle Chains Dropping Milk & Dairy Derived from Monsanto's Bovine Growth Hormone, Organic Consumers Association.
40.
^ [3] http://www.thekrogerco.com/corpnews/corpnewsinfo_pressreleases_08012007.htm
