10 Jun 2010 --- Mead Johnson Nutrition Company issued the following statement regarding its Enfagrow Premium product line:

At Mead Johnson, we have been developing science-based nutritional products to help give infants and children the best start in life for more than a century. We also take great pride in our heritage of partnering with parents and healthcare professionals in the pursuit of this important mission.

Our Enfagrow Premium products were introduced in the U.S. for toddlers who have been weaned off breast milk or infant formula, but still need nutritional support to their main diet. Parents have told us that they consider these products an important option for meeting the overall nutritional needs of toddlers, especially those who are picky or erratic eaters.

Like all our Enfagrow Premium products, the recently introduced chocolate-flavored version has a superior nutritional profile to many other beverages typically consumed by toddlers - including apple juice, grape juice, and similarly flavored dairy drinks. Unfortunately, there has been some misunderstanding and mischaracterization regarding the intended consumer for this product and the proper role it can play in a child's balanced diet. The resulting debate has distracted attention from the overall benefits of the brand, so we have decided to discontinue production of Enfagrow Premium chocolate toddler drink and phase it out over the coming weeks.

Beneficial ingredients in our Enfagrow Premium products include iron to help support brain growth and antioxidants and other nutrients to help support the immune system. They exceed whole milk - serving for serving - for important vitamins such as A, B1, B6, C and E and are also a source of Omega-3 DHA and prebiotics, both of which are lacking in milk.

Enfagrow Premium will remain available in three unflavored versions - Next Step, Gentlease Next Step and Soy Next Step - as well as vanilla. Mead Johnson stands behind the nutritional quality and scientific integrity of all its products, while also striving to be responsive to the needs and concerns of our consumers in the marketplace.