Amadeus?:
>>Human baby's are not dependent on DHA/EPA in the food.

JoAnn Betten <[log in to unmask]>:
>i can testify to this.  my mother recently told me she fed me, when i was a
>baby, a homemade formula of Carnation milk and Karo corn syrup.  until i
was
>a few months old, and she started spooning in Cream of Wheat.

Dr. Michael A. Schmidt in his book "Smart Fats" states that DHA is
crucial
for the full development of the infant brain.  A paragraph in the book
is
called "Caution for Vegetarian Mothers":

"Vegetarian mothers must be especially aware that they get adequate
DHA
during pregnancy and while breast feeding, since vegans and
vegetarians
have been shown to have significantly lower DHA in breast milk.  Their
babies also show lower DHA.  For example, Australian and British
babies fed
milk from omnivore mothers have about six percent DHA in the red blood
cells.  American infants have about three percent.  British infants
fed
milk from vegetarian mothers have only two percent DHA in their cells.
Using flax seed oil as a source of alpha-linolenic acid has been used
by
many vegetarian mothers in hopes of increasing their DHA levels.
However,
conversion of ALA to DHA appears to be insufficient for a pregnant or
nursing mother."

Reference:  Gibson, R.  What is the best fatty acid composition for
the
fats of infant formula?  In Sinclair, A, R, eds. Essential Fatty Acids
ad
Eicosanoids, Champaign, Illinois:  American Oil Chemists' Society,
1992:210-13.

Best, Peter