b'cost effective, and has saved hundredsmagnesium of 1:1, while the RUTF ratiothan a passing reference in the final re-of thousands of childrens lives in re- was 4 or 5:1!port of the meeting.centyears.SevereacutemalnutritionInalast-ditcheffort,Ithenpro-is a major killer of children under five,posed that the levels for magnesium beNobody Is Thinkingaccounting for approximately 1 milliondoubled so that they would at least beNextupofimportance,theCom-deaths annually. Around 20 million chil- closer to a proper ratio with calcium.mission considered moisture standards dren worldwide are estimated to be suf- Butmyargumentsfellondeafears,for datesof little concern to NHF but fering from this condition, of which onlyunsupportedbyanymemberstates,of great concern to producers of dates. approximately 10-15 per cent currentlyand the magnesium levels in the RUTFToo strict of a standard would kill many receive treatment using RUTF. Codexguidelines were left unchanged, to theof their export markets. The debate over wants to expand the availability of RUTFharm of malnourished children every- this droned on, but what made me perk up by creating an internationally acceptedwhere.and pay much closer attention was when guideline; and this guideline was adoptedBoth Elisabeth Sterken of the Inter- the member state objections kept piling at the final Step 8 at this meeting. national Baby Foods Action Networkup and yet the Chairman was still trying But, before that happened, I expressed(IBFAN) and Patti Rundall of the Eu- to push the standard to the near-final Step NHFs concern to the Commission overropean Network of Childbirth Associ- 5/8. I spoke up for NHF at this point and the high ratio of calcium to magnesiumations (ENCA) argued strongly againsaid, Mr. Chairman there is sustained op-(55 mg to 15 mg), reminding everyonethisyearforappropriatelydesignedposition to advancing this standard to Step that extensive science supported higherprograms to support continued breast- 5/8.You only have consensus on Step 5, levels than those present in RUTF andfeeding and re-lactation, and that theso you really have no choice but to take it that calcium and magnesium are twinuse of RUTF should not preclude theto that Step so that this standard may be minerals, and their intake ratio is import- useofculturallyappropriate,home- considered more fully. The Chairman ant nutritionally. In fact, the paleolithicbased foods. As with NHF, they, too,then correctly ruled the date standard diet typically had a ratio of calcium toreceived nothing more for their troublecould only go to Step 5.8 H ealtHF reedomN ews / w iNter2022'