FDA to increase testing for heavy metals in infant formula, RFK Jr. says

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will step up its testing for heavy metals in infant formula and review nutrients required in the products used to feed millions of babies, the agency and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday.

“The FDA will use all resources and authorities at its disposal to make sure infant formula products are safe and wholesome for the families and children who rely on them,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement.

Kennedy earlier met with the chief executives of companies including Similac maker Abbott Laboratories and Reckitt Benckiser, maker of Enfamil, according to a social media post from HHS.

The FDA would embark on a comprehensive look at the nutrients used in infant formula and increase testing for heavy metals and other contaminants, HHS said in its statement. 

“The FDA is deeply committed to ensuring that moms and other caregivers of infants and young children and other individuals who rely on infant formula for their nutritional needs have confidence that these products are safe, consistently available, and contain the nutrients essential to promote health and wellbeing during critical stages of development and life,” Acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner said in a statement. 

Worrying test results

The development came as Consumer Reports shared results on Tuesday of tests by the group that found found potentially harmful chemicals in roughly half of 41 infant formula products, including acrylamide, arsenic, BPA, lead and PFAS. The remaining products were found to have low levels of, or no, concerning chemicals. 

“We look forward to seeing the details of how they intend to implement the plan, and we hope the FDA is providing adequate resources and staffing to actually follow through with these promises,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in a statement.

Families around the U.S. faced major shortages of baby formula in 2022 after FDA inspections found bacteria linked to two infant deaths in Abbott’s plant in Sturgis, Michigan. The factory’s temporary closure reduced supply, causing issues for the millions of parents who rely on formula. 

About one in five newborns in the U.S. start on formula, providing a crucial source of nutrition in an infant’s first months of life.