RFK Jr. ordered the FDA to review the baby formula. This is what you need to know
As federal health officials swear by overhaulUS food supplythey’re looking newGrinding for infants.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has directed the Food and Drug Administration to review the nutrients and other ingredients in infant formula that fill bottles of millions of American babies. The effort, dubbed “Operation Stork Speed,” is the first deep look of material since 1998.
“The FDA will use all resources and authorities at will to ensure that infant formula products are safe and healthy for the families and children who rely on them,” Kennedy said.
Approximately one-quarter of American toddlersConsumes the formulaAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 40% of people receive it as their only source of nutrition for six months.
Dr. Stephen Abrams, an infant nutrition expert at the University of Texas, said the formula has been widely used for about 60 years, feeding a thriving generation of infants.
The broader scientific community has been seeking reevaluation of infant formulas for years and “fully support this idea of an inclusive look,” he said.
He said current formula products in the US continue to be safe and nourished.
“But there’s a lot of science and I hope that the FDA rules will match the latest science around the world,” he said.
Here’s what you need to know about Stork Speed Strategies:
What is infant formula? Why do so many babies consume it?
Infant schools are manufactured products, usually made from milk or soybeans, and are intended to mimic human breast milk for 12-month-old children. It may be the only source of nutrition or supplemental breastfeeding.
Under FDA regulations, infant formulas contain 30 specific nutrients, of which 10 minimum and maximum levels.
The ingredients vary, but all formulas require a calorie balance from protein, carbohydrates and fats, which reflect what is found in leek milk.
Federal GuidelinesIt is recommended that your baby breastfeed for the first six months, while adding new foods to your child’s diet, and that parents continue breastfeeding for more than a year.
Parents use formulas when mothers cannot or do not choose to breastfeed for a variety of reasons, including medical conditions, work conflicts, etc., to help other families with feeding and other circumstances.
Why is the government reviewing baby formulas now?
Kennedy published a review of infant formula in March as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda for US food supply.
The FDA review includes an increase in testing for heavy metals and other contaminants, as well as reviews of nutrients, the agency said.
US health officials hold 2 hours Round Table Discussion Wednesday infant formula.
What issues does it cover?
The FDA is seeking new scientific data and information on whether the ingredients needed for infant prescriptions should be added, removed or changed. The deadline for comments is September 11th.
Scientists say reviews have been behind the latest data on breast milk composition and how to digest and absorb nutrients in breast milk and formula milk for a long time.
Additionally, Bridget Young, a researcher in infant nutrition at the University of Rochester, says he hopes the FDA will consider how US formulas compare to formulas made elsewhere.
“How do our regulations differ?” she said. “Maybe it’s time for them to reconsider their regulations and consider potential international harmony.”
More international alignment may have been relaxed US infant prescription crisis in 2022the pollution will close the Abbott factory and lead to a months-long shortage for American parents, Young said.
What about specific ingredients?
In recent years, some parents have been seeking prescriptions for infants made in Europe, believing that products made overseas are healthier options, experts said.
The formula regulations in the US and Europe, including nutrients and testing requirements, are slightly different, but generally similar, Abrams said.
“The difference between the US and Europe should not be considered “higher” or “better” or “larger” in one and the other,” he said.
Still, iron is included at a higher level than the European formula, for example, the US formula. Abrams suggested that US officials consider lowering iron targets.
In recent years, other components have been added to the formula. They contain docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid, and complex sugars that are not found in milk but not breast milk. They may be beneficial, but they are not necessary.
“These have been added to some equations, but not to others, so I’d like to see them,” explained Abrams.
Many parents add sugar,seed oilthis is also targeted by Kennedy as a risk of wider food supply.
Recent studies suggest that adding sugars such as glucose and corn syrup solids to infant milk powder may be associated with weight gain in children. Young said most experts agree that lactose, the main type of sugar found in breast milk, is preferred.
The formula for infants in the US contains seed oils, Young said. But that’s because there is a finite number of vegetable oils that provide the essentially saturated and unsaturated fats that a baby needs.
“They need to provide you with the diverse fatty acids you find in breast milk,” she said.
What is the next step?
If done properly, Abrams said it would take “at least a year” for the FDA’s infant formula review. It also requires a wide range of input from multiple government agencies, formula manufacturers and consumers.
“Shortcuts are impossible, and no one will be enough to get it right with reviews, white papers, and even committee reports,” he said.
This story was originally introduced Fortune.com