Ohio, U.S.A – The manufacturer of the nation’s first organic baby formula announced its expanded purity initiative to minimize or eliminate environmental contaminants known to be in the U.S. food supply, such as arsenic and other heavy metals, pesticide residues and hidden chemicals used in processing like hexane.

Nature’s One encourages other formula and baby food manufacturers to follow its lead utilizing the best science and technology to accomplish this goal.

“Anymore, it is not enough to talk about what is added to a formula to make it beneficial,” said Nature’s One CEO Jay Highman. “Instead, we need to talk about what is not in the formula or baby’s first foods. Unfortunately, many of these chemicals go undetected because they are not tested routinely, or are concealed under current labeling regulations. The company’s founding goal has always been to identify and eliminate toxins that may negatively impact human development.”

For example, according to a February 1, 2012 study, 15 infant formulas sold in the U.S. contained arsenic.  Researchers noted the type of arsenic when identified was nearly 100% inorganic arsenic; considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Drug Administration to be the most toxic form.

Nature’s One announced earlier this year that its formulas meet all world standards for inorganic arsenic in rice-based foods for infants – testing 58% to 73% lower than proposed world standards.  Arsenic is found in all drinking water, foods, infant formulas and even breast milk, according to the WHO. The U.S. has no current regulations for arsenic in food.

Nature’s One has innovated a USDA organic-compliant process to possibly eliminate detectable arsenic in organic brown rice syrup using modern testing equipment and methodologies. This allows Nature’s One to further proclaim the healthful benefits of organic brown rice syrup when compared to other carbohydrate sources like sucrose (table sugar) or glucose syrups (corn syrup) found in other organic and conventional formulas.

Since introducing the first organic formula in 1999 Nature’s One objective was to eliminate the use of pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, corn syrup, and more recently algae/fungus oils (DHA/ARA) and bisphenol-A (BPA).  The scope of this purity pledge has now expanded to include contaminants that transcend both organically and conventionally grown foods. Highman adds, “Our purity initiative has no ending point; eliminating or minimizing these toxins should be a goal for all companies who want to provide the very best in nutritional and developmental health.

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The Just Label It (JLI) Campaign announced that a record-breaking one million Americans of all political persuasions have called on the FDA to label genetically engineered (GE) foods. The campaign also announced a new national survey revealing that Americans across the political spectrum stand united in support of labeling food that has been genetically engineered. This is a striking contrast to the partisan divisions plaguing our political system.

“Pink slime, deadly melons, tainted turkeys, and BPA in our soup have put us all on notice that what we eat and feed our families is critically important,” said Ken Cook, President of the Environmental Working Group. “Americans overwhelmingly demand safety, transparency and labeling of genetically engineered foods. It’s time for the FDA to come clean and restore public confidence in our food system.”

Since October, JLI, the national campaign to require GE-food labeling and its more than 500 partner organizations have spearheaded an historic number of public comments for a GE-foods labeling petition. March 27, 2012 is the date when the FDA was required to respond to the petition. It took less than 180 days to accumulate the record number of comments.

“In recent years, Americans have shown a real interest in knowing more about our food and now there is a clear mandate for the labeling of genetically engineered foods. This petition asks the FDA to stand up for the rights of average Americans, and not just a handful of powerful chemical companies.

It’s time for the FDA to give Americans the same rights held by citizens in forty nations, including all of our major trade partners, to know whether our foods have been genetically modified. The FDA needs to restore confidence in our food and our right to know about the food we eat and feed our families,” said Gary Hirshberg, chairman of Stonyfield.

New Survey Results: Motherhood, Apple Pie and GE Food Labeling Consumer support for GE-foods labeling in the U.S. is nearly unanimous, according to the political opinion survey on GE food labeling conducted by The Mellman Group on behalf of JLI.

“Few topics other than motherhood and apple pie can muster over 90%support, but labeling GE-foods is one of those few views held almost unanimously,” explained pollster Mark Mellman. The survey found nearly all Democrats (93% favor, 2% oppose), Independents (90% favor, 5% oppose) and Republicans (89% favor, 5% oppose) in favor of labeling. The study also revealed that support for labeling is robust and arguments against it have little sway.

Colorado mother and author Robyn O’Brien, who founded the AllergyKids Foundation after one of her children had an allergic reaction to breakfast, said: “Americans are responding to the call for GE foods labeling because they want more information for their families.

Like allergen labeling, GE-food labels would provide essential and possibly life-saving information for anyone with a food allergy. Being responsible for the health and safety of my children, I believe it’s my right to know about the food I feed my family…from allergens, to ‘pink slime’ to GE foods.”

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Research led by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute has found that  Zero Technologies – developers of the only dual ion exchange tap water filtration pitchers and dispensers, removed more pharmaceuticals and chemicals than market-leaders Brita and PUR.

Independent testing found ZeroWater’s 8-cup pitcher removes the highest percentage of 15 common tap water contaminants that are still unregulated, including BPA, ibuprofen, DEET and other drugs and chemicals. The research appears in the March issue of Good Housekeeping.  ZeroWater filtration products offer consumers an affordable and effective solution for at-home tap water filtration that outperforms Brita and PUR.

“We know pharmaceuticals are in our tap water, and that they can be dangerous. Unfortunately, this is an area that has been largely overlooked by regulators.  This research is exactly what is needed to moveWashington towards creating safety standards for pharmaceuticals,” said Doug Kellam, chief executive officer at Zero Technologies.

“The research also reveals what most people don’t realize: that really good filtration is available without having to spend a bundle.  Recent technology innovations enable filtration performance on par with expensive built-in systems.  At ZeroWater, we’re proud to be on the leading edge of these advances in order to make excellent filtration available at a reasonable cost.”

In addition to this new research, other third party organizations have cited ZeroWater as an industry leader.  ZeroWater is the only filter-pitcher  to receive NSF International’s certification for chromium-6 and lead reduction, and it has received recognition from the Water Quality Association (WQA) – the international trade association and Gold Seal product certification body – representing the residential, commercial and industrial water treatment industry.

ZeroWater is the only pitcher on the market that uses a patented five-level dual ion exchange and carbon filtration process to filter water. It is the only pitcher on the market that combines activated carbon and dual ion exchange technologies to eliminate virtually all dissolved solids in tap water.

This makes ZeroWater the only filter-pitcher on the market that delivers water that meets the Food and Drug Administration’s requirement for the amount of dissolved solids permitted in purified bottled water. All ZeroWater products include a laboratory-grade water testing meter and guarantees a “000″ reading on Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) to ensure great-tasting water.  The company was also first to offer a filter recycling program.

ZeroWater offers a variety of broadly available and affordable options for every person’s home tap water filtration needs, including a 23-cup Filter Dispenser, a 10-cup Pitcher, an 8-cup Pitcher and a 6-cup Space Saver Pitcher. Products are available online at ZeroWater.com, Amazon.com and many other online resellers, or at national retailers, including Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Meijer and Fry’s.

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