FDA: Skim milk product has no colostrum

MANILA, Philippines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) belied yesterday “misleading” claims that a skim milk product has therapeutic value and contains colostrum.

In an advisory, the FDA said it is misleading for the makers of IgCo Skim Milk to “claim or even imply” that highly processed cow’s skim milk powder contains “special components, immune factor, growth modulators, and other health promoting substances that could possibly help full-term and premature babies fight infections and other diseases without first undertaking clinical trials.”

Colostrum or “first milk” is only produced by expectant mothers just before and a few days after giving birth, the FDA said, adding that only human breast milk is the “complete food” for babies.

“Thus, it is important that babies are able or allowed to breastfeed immediately after birth. Colostrum is high in carbohydrates, high in protein, high in antibodies, and low in fat, as human newborns may find it difficult to digest the large fat globules of cow’s milk,” the FDA said.

According to FDA, SNI Philippines Inc.’s product was granted a certificate of product registration by the agency on Feb. 28, 2011. The certificate will expire on Sept. 19, 2015.

However, the FDA said the agency has not approved the manufacturer’s use of the FDA logo on advertisements for IgCo Skim Milk, which is being promoted as the “1st Colostrum Food in the Philippines” and which has various “health and curative claims.”