The US Food and Drug Administration announced results from what it described as the largest and most rigorous examination ever conducted of chemical contaminants in infant formula available on the US market. The testing included more than 300 infant formula samples representative of products sold at retail across the United States, including powders, ready-to-feed liquids, and concentrated liquids. FDA laboratories generated more than 120,000 data points through the analysis.
The agency tested for lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, pesticides including glyphosate and glufosinate, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and phthalates. Across the products tested, FDA reported that an overwhelming majority of samples had undetectable or very low levels of contaminants, findings the agency said affirm that the US infant formula supply is safe.
“We tested more infant formula than ever before, and the results are clear: most products meet a high safety standard—but even small exposures matter for newborns,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “We will hold manufacturers accountable, and give parents honest, transparent data they can trust. Protecting our children’s health is nonnegotiable.”
“You can judge a society by how it treats its most vulnerable members. That’s why we’re doing everything in our power to make sure our babies and infants have safe, high quality formula options that are backed by a resilient supply chain,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH. “The results of this study are encouraging. We will continue to advance formula innovation and safety for the millions of families who depend on it.”
Although overall contaminant levels were low, FDA said it is continuing additional testing as part of ongoing monitoring and oversight. Planned actions include testing for additional contaminants, continuing to work with manufacturers on measures to reduce contaminant levels to as low as possible, and working to establish action levels for contaminants in infant formula.
The testing was conducted as part of Operation Stork Speed, FDA’s Closer to Zero initiative, and the agency’s routine food surveillance work. FDA noted that small amounts of contaminants may be present in foods, including infant formula and breast milk, because they occur naturally or enter the environment through human activities in areas where ingredients are grown or produced.
FDA said it will continue testing infant formula products, including products that entered the US market after the initial survey began, and will conduct additional compliance sampling. The agency said it will publicly share results from follow-up surveys as part of its transparency efforts.
Source: FDA
