Health advocates warn government's claims of baby formula safety contradict data

Source: The Guardian

Sun 10 May 2026 09.00 EDT
Last modified on Sun 10 May 2026 09.01 EDT


The Trump administration announced earlier this month that hundreds of baby formula samples it tested for toxic chemicals “meet a high safety standard”, but public health advocates warn this claim contradicts data showing a majority were contaminated with dangerous substances, such as Pfas or phthalates.

Independent scientists who reviewed the results say the data gaps and the contamination raise concerns, though they added the testing shows some bright spots, and praised the US Food and Drug Administration for expanding the testing program, then making the results public.

Top FDA officials’ statements also appear to, in part, contradict a 2014 FDA paper that detailed how small amounts of the chemicals found in the current testing likely present a serious risk for newborns who are small, still developing and have a greater food to body weight ratio than adults.

In a statement announcing the results, Department of Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, said: “We tested more infant formula than ever before, and the results are clear: most products meet a high safety standard – but even small exposures matter for newborns. “We will hold manufacturers accountable, and give parents honest, transparent data they can trust. Protecting our children’s health is non-negotiable,” Kennedy added. The release did not detail the next steps.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/10/fda-baby-formula-safety-claims-contradict-data