Phytonadione
The OCA says in their complaint against Earth’s Best formula:
Phytonadione is 2-methyl-3-phytyl-l, 4-naphthoquinone, synthetically produced from 2-methyl-l,4-naphthoquinone and phytol, or from the partial syntheses from menadione and phytol, using a pi-allylic nickel(I) complex.
Bottom Line:
Phytonadione is the synthetic form of vitamin K. According to FDA regulations, any added vitamin K to a formula is required to be phylloquinone, the natural form of vitamin K. (Source) There’s no excuse to use this one, especially in an organic product.
Nucleotides
According to the OCA:
Nucleotides are synthetically extracted from the RNA in yeast by enzymatic hydrolysis, synthetic filtration, and hydrochloric acid.
Nucleotides are DNA building blocks that have been shown in some studies to help repair and protect the gut and boost the immune system, and are present in higher amounts in breast milk than found in baby formulas. (Source) They are not required to be added to a formula. Goat milk naturally contains a fair amount of nucleotides; formulators may be able to offer formulas that rely on goat milk’s inherent nutrition.
Arachidonic acid (ARA) (Mortierella alpine oil) and Docosahexanoic acid (DHA)
According to the OCA:
Mortierella alpine oil is a by-product from M. alpina, a soil fungus. Like DHASCO, ARASCO is produced using hexane extraction and ascorbyl palmitate to preserve oxidative stability.
These essential long-chain fatty acids have been shown in studies to aid brain and muscle development.
Clandinin et al.28 and Groh-Wargo et al. have added to the growth literature by demonstrating that growth was not only improved with algal and fungal oils in preterm infants, but also that DHA and ARA supplemented formulas fed to infants up to 1 year of age led to increased lean body mass and reduced fat mass by 1 year of age. In addition, the improved growth was also accompanied by improved Bayley mental and psychomotor development at 118 weeks postmenstual age versus controls. (Source)
Bottom Line:
The use of ARA and DHA in organic products is controversial. While there has been no large side effects reported with their use, their long-term benefits have not been thoroughly proven. The USDA is currently allowing them in organic products under the “vitamins and nutrients” clause, however, they are oils, not nutrients or vitamins. The Cornucopia Institute has a great article about the controversy here.
L-carnitine
According to the OCA complaint against Earth’s Best:
L-carnitine is usually synthesized using epichlorhydrine or trimethylamine, and racemate separation by fractionated crystallization or other methods. L-carnitine can also be obtained from industrially-produced D-mannitol. L-carnitine can also be produced using commercially available biosynthetic methods via microorganisms (e.g., Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis) cultivated in a bioreactor with crotonobetaine, crotonobetaine salts, or its derivatives.
Bottom Line:
L-carnitine is an amino acid present in breast milk and is essential to development, but not legally required to be present in a baby formula. However, formulas with added carnitine have no proven benefits. (Source)(Source)