The U.S. Food & Drug Administration will soon increase its testing for heavy metals in infant formula.
FILE - A mother holds a bottle of baby formula as she feeds her infant son, Friday, May 13, 2022, in San Antonio.will soon increase its testing for heavy metals in infant formula. The agency made the announcement this week, following the testing of 41 products, in which roughly half were found to have potentially harmful chemicals .
Stefanie Williams, a mother to a 5-month-old little girl tells us, that researching the different formulas was quite eye-opening. "It was kind of crazy finding the amount of products in baby formula that I wouldn't expect to be in it," Williams said."Just some of the things that seem like there should be a better option for getting those things," said Williams. Charles White, a pharmaceutical expert at the University of Connecticut says, the FDA is now stepping up its testing on heavy metals in infant formula. Plus, reviewing the nutrients required in these products. "That's going to give them greater regulatory oversight as they get more of these test results," White said."Eight of the 41 products, or about 20%, had excessive levels of arsenic," said White. The tests also found acrylamide, BPA, and PFAS. But Dr. Mark Corkins, the Division Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center says, the results weren't overwhelmingly negative. "The majority of them were in a safe range but some were a little high. Some were close to where they say it's acceptable," Corkins said. Which is why he believes stepping up testing can be a good thing. Although he doesn't think the results will vary too significantly. "I don't think they're going to find much different as long as they look at actual science," said Dr. Corkins. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a statement following the announcement, saying the FDA will use all resources and authorities at its disposal to make sure infant formula products are safe for all that use them.
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