science
Trump Administration Reports Most Baby Formula Samples Meet Safety Standard
The administration announced that hundreds of tested baby formula samples meet a high safety standard for toxic chemicals. Independent scientists who reviewed the data said most samples contained PFAS or phthalates and noted data gaps. Officials also released results from expanded testing that included lead, pesticides and mercury.
May 10, 9:00 AM·3m read1 source
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The Trump administration announced earlier this month that hundreds of baby formula samples tested for toxic chemicals meet a high safety standard. Public health advocates said the claim contradicts data showing that a majority of samples were contaminated with PFAS or phthalates.
Independent scientists who reviewed the results said the data gaps and contamination levels raise concerns, though they noted some positive aspects and praised the expansion of the testing program. The samples were examined for PFAS, phthalates, lead, pesticides, mercury and other substances.
At least half contained PFOS, one of the most dangerous PFAS compounds, for which the federal government has previously determined no level of exposure in drinking water is safe. About half of the samples also contained some phthalates. Industry mounted a successful legal challenge to that decision.
The secretary added that most products meet a high safety standard but even small exposures matter for newborns. The release did not detail next steps. A 2014 FDA paper indicated that small amounts of these chemicals likely present a serious risk for newborns, who are small, still developing and have a greater food-to-body-weight ratio than adults.
Top FDA officials' statements appear to contradict that paper in part. The FDA wrote that 95 percent of PFOS levels were below 2.9 parts per trillion. Drinking water limits are set at four parts per trillion, though advocates said those limits may not be protective for infants consuming formula.
A wide range of studies have linked low levels of PFAS exposure in utero or in infancy to decreased immunity. The FDA noted that it tested for 30 PFAS compounds and that most of those compounds were not found in any samples. A majority of samples still contained some PFAS at levels that concerned independent experts.
