I am a new mom, and have heard amazing things about HappyBaby's Oatmeal. So, when I got on Amazon to purchase some I was surprised/concerned to see some of the negative reviews about off-coloring and bad smells. I wrote to the company to inquire about the issues people were mentioning, and I got a very good response, almost immediately, from the company. The Director of QA said that the problem was limited to one batch of oatmeal only and is no longer a problem. I thought other parents shopping on Amazon might find his response helpful:"...this is not a food safety issue, so there's no need to worry. It is, however, an "off product" quality issue, and is caused by oxidation of the oils in the grain (oxidative rancidity), usually by the nitrogen flush we put into the can leaking out due to abuse, improper seaming, etc. The reaction (with oxygen) is a lot like leaving a peeled banana on the table too long...yucky, but not dangerous, so your child is not in any danger. The black flecks are oxidized pieces of the cereal bran, which are usually colourless.
Our June production lot was particularly susceptible to this, so we did two things. First, we strengthened the antioxidant portion of the formula (mixed tocopherols), and the problem literally went away. Secondly, we reached out to our warehouses and store shelves, and replaced as much of the June production lot as we could. However, given the size and complexity of the supply chain, it's nearly impossible to get a 100% catch here, so invariably, some cases stayed around. "
This response really impressed me and made me feel much more confident about purchasing HappyBaby products in the future. They acted quickly, and responded thoroughly and honestly to the issue. They truly seem committed to their mission of supplying customers with the highest quality ingredients...and customer service! I will for sure be buying more HappyBaby products in the future.
Granted that I haven't tried other brands, except for the Gerber Barley cereal, the line of HappyBellies cereals has been fantastic for us. My son loves it and he's never had any stomach problems since he's on it.
The empty containers can be recycled, or used as toys for your baby. I usually but a few (unbreakable) items inside. My son loves shaking it and playing drums on it.
I also love the convenience of Amazon shopping, especially since this brand can be sometime hard to find in stores.Parents, before buying this stuff, do quick Google search for The Cornucopia Institute's report entitled "Replacing Mother Imitating Human Breast Milk in the Laboratory" or follow this link:
This Happy Bellies rice cereal contains Martek Corporation's laboratory-produced oils containing DHA and ARA. As we all know by now, DHA and ARA are considered important nutrients for rapidly developing infants. But laboratory-produced DHASCO and ARASCO (Martek's names for their proprietary oils) are materially different from the fats found in a mother's breast milk. Martek's products are extracted from fermented algae and fungus, with the use of the synthetic solvent hexane, a neurotoxic chemical. They contain only 40 to 50% DHA and ARA, with the balance being sunflower oil, diglycerides, and nonsaponifiable materials.
These components are not found in human breast milk, and the triglycerides carrying DHA and ARA are not identical to
those found in human breast milk, and have never been part of the diet for human infants. Most frighteningly, neurotoxic chemicals -which are NOT organic in any way -are used to manufacture these oils. These oils are not organic, are not regulated or approved by the USDA or FDA, and are added in violation of federal organic regulation.
The authors of the report investigated how a toxic chemical is used as processing agents in the manufacturing process, the inadequate testing for safety, and most importantly, how some infants are experiencing serious adverse reactions from consuming formula and foods supplemented with these oils.
"This report presents a disturbing look at the addition of novel ingredients into infant formula," says Marsha Walker, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy. "The FDA has received scores of reports on the adverse effects of these ingredients, but, to date, the public's only access to these is through Cornucopia's Freedom of Information Act request. This report will help alert the health care community and federal agencies to some of the adverse effects of added DHA and ARA in infant formulas."
The full report can be viewed on The Cornucopia Institute's web page. I love that these products are gluten free. My first child got a terrible rash on her face from her "first cereals" and it was hard to find out what was causing it. The baby cereals that are out there "may contain traces of wheat" while they are supposed to be the best first food. Not true fir those with gluten and wheat sensitivities and/or allergies. Way to go Happy Baby.This is the first cereal my 6 month old has been given and he really LOVES it. I drove my self crazy doing all kinds of research for a safe, BPA free cereal, then drove myself crazy looking at all the research on DHA, and so on. Finally I decided to go ahead and give this a try. Unfortunately there is no perfect baby cereal on the market at this time, but this product is pretty close. And my baby seems to really enjoy it. I will say my local target is currently selling it for only $3.19 a can, which is a little cheaper than amazons current price.
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