RE: Re: KIRKMAN Jello, Prozac

[Guest guest]

There are several potential problems with gelatin. The DPP4 enzyme is just

one. Gelatin is used in a number or pharmaceutical products including the

MMR shot and capsules. Japan does not allow gelatin in the vaccine shots.

Gelatin is used in 99% of all vitamin capsules. The alternative is vegi-caps

that are hypoallergenic. At Kirkman we switched to vegi caps for all the

products. We do not use gelatin is any formulas. This is not to say that

gelatin is proven to be unsafe.

Recently the FDA is growing more uncomfortable with gelatin from foreign

countries because of mad cow disease. Not enough gelatin can be produced in

the USA and a great deal of gelatin is imported. The following is a report

from CNN on the FDA's concern about gelatin:

Humphrey

President

Kirkman Laboratories

************************************************************************

FDA advised to look at mad cow disease risk from gelatin

April 25, 1997

Web posted at: 12:06 a.m. EDT (0406 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal regulators are looking at whether any risk

exists in the use of gelatin from countries where mad cow disease exists.

Think gelatin, and Jell-O wiggles to mind. But the substance that aids in

congealment crops up in a wide range of products, including makeup and skin

creams, cake mixes and gummy bears, vitamins, gel caps used for drugs and

even vaccines. Gelatin is derived from the skin and bones of cattle and

other animals.

An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration heard testimony

Wednesday that most of the gelatin produced in the United States is made

from pig skins, which are not considered a risk. Some comes from cattle hide

and bones.

" I think that we are talking about a very, very small risk -- but not zero, "

said panel chairman Dr. Brown of the National Institutes of Health.

Nonetheless, the committee voted to recommend that the FDA take a closer

look at gelatin imported from countries where mad cow disease is known to

exist.

There is no proof that gelatin carries BSE

Currently, FDA regulations prohibit the use of brains and spinal cords of

cows from countries where mad cow disease or Bovine Spongiform

Encephalopathy (BSE) has been found. Those organs are considered highly

infectious.

But gelatin is exempted from U.S. regulations, because there is no evidence

BSE can be transmitted to humans through the product.

BSE countries include Britain, France, Switzerland, Portugal, the Republic

of Ireland and the Netherlands. Britain effectively prohibits the use of

gelatin from its cows, but other countries such as France export gelatin to

the United States.

Fifteen cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or CJD, the fatal human

equivalent of BSE, have been reported in Britain. CJD is a fatal brain

disease that resembles mad cow disease and makes its victims tremble.

European health officials say there may be a link between the two illnesses.

The committee said while there is no evidence that BSE can be transmitted to

humans from gelatin, the FDA should be allowed to regulate it if necessary.

" We felt as a group that it was very likely that gelatin is a safe product,

and that it will prove to be a safe product when the evidence is in, but we

felt it was best to be prudent until that evidence is presented to us, "

Brown said.

The U.S. gelatin industry, which contends gelatin is safe, said it was

disappointed by the committee's vote, and cautioned any future attempt by

the FDA to restrict gelatin imports could be a problem.

" There simply is not enough gelatin made in the United States to satisfy the

domestic need, " said Mason of the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of

America.

Correspondent Eugenia Halsey contributed to this report.

Re: Re: Jello, Prozac

In a message dated 3/4/01 9:54:52 PM Pacific Standard Time,

dave@... writes:

> Gelatin may interfere with a key enzyme (DPP4) in children with autism

> and should be avoided.

>

>

Thanks for this good information. Anything other than Jello to avoid that

may

contain gelatin?