FDA Intensifies Infant Formula Safety Standards
On March 20, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its plan to increase testing for heavy metals in infant formula and review essential nutrients required in these products. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated, ‘The FDA will use all resources and authorities at its disposal to ensure infant formula products are safe and wholesome for the families and children who rely on them.’
Following a meeting with top executives from infant formula manufacturers, including Abbott Laboratories and Reckitt Benckiser, the FDA introduced a new initiative dubbed Operation Stork Speed to enhance testing protocols. As Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Sara Brenner remarked, ‘The FDA is deeply committed to ensuring that caregivers have confidence that these products are safe and contain the essential nutrients for infants’ health.’
This decision comes in light of findings from a Consumer Reports investigation indicating the presence of harmful chemicals in nearly half of the tested infant formula products, sparking significant public concern. Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy at Consumer Reports, expressed hope that the FDA would adequately resource its new testing plan.
Concerns about infant formula safety have been amplified since early 2022 after FDA inspections linked certain bacteria to two infant deaths at Abbott’s Sturgis, Michigan, plant, resulting in a nationwide formula shortage.
The FDA’s latest actions are likely to enhance parental confidence in the safety of infant formula, a crucial part of infant nutrition for approximately one in five newborns in the United States.
What This Means For You
With these stricter testing standards in place, parents are expected to feel a sense of relief knowing that the infant formulas they rely on for their children’s nutrition are being subjected to more rigorous safety evaluations.
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