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The federal government is launching its first in-depth review of infant formula nutrients in nearly 30 years. While the move may spark questions among families, pediatric experts say there is nothing to be concerned about: FDA-approved infant formula remains one of the most rigorously regulated food products in the country and is perfectly safe.
Still, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say it’s time for a fresh look. On Tuesday, the agencies announced that they had issued a request for information about infant formula nutrients.
The review is part of an initiative launched in March, called Operation Stork Speed, which is meant to “ensure the safety, reliability, and nutritional adequacy of infant formula for American families,” according to HHS. It’s not yet clear who will be leading the review, but the FDA is set to convene a panel of experts in June that will be accessible to the public.
“Operation Stork Speed brings radical transparency to ingredients in infant formula and puts science front and center,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in the press release. “Every child has a fundamental right to a healthy start. We’re giving parents the truth and the tools to make that happen.”
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Could infant formula change?
Experts say that any effort to ensure that infant formula contains the best nutrients is important, but they caution that this review is not a sign that infant formula is dangerous, nor do they expect it to trigger dramatic changes.
According to HHS, the FDA “regularly reviews individual nutrient requirements for infant formula,” but the last time the agency conducted an in-depth review of infant formula was in 1998. Dr. Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, says doing a comprehensive analysis is “overdue” because there have been new developments in science and guidance since 1998. Abrams, who is due to attend the June meeting with the FDA, says it’s critical that the research is conducted slowly, cautiously, and rigorously. He says that experts, including himself, want “to make sure that [the review] doesn’t become motivated by concerns that infant formula, as it currently exists, is inherently unsafe. That’s not true.”
Dr. Mark Corkins, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, says it’s possible that the review may result in recommendations for a little more of some nutrients, like Vitamin D, and a little less of other ingredients, like iron, but: “I don’t think there’s going to be any huge, earth-shaking changes that comes out of this.”
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What do parents need to know?
Experts reassure families that they shouldn’t be confused about the safety of FDA-approved infant formula, which is a safe alternative to breastfeeding.
Abrams cautions families not to try and make their own formula or use other nutritionally inadequate, and potentially dangerous alternatives, such as unpasteurized milk or goat milk.
“I would be devastated if a parent saw this request for information and then felt nervous about an infant formula product that they’re using with their baby,” says Bridget Young, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “My plea to parents would be to take a deep breath. They are safe; you do not need to worry about the safety of our current products.”
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