FDA Issues New Safety Regulations for Infant Formula

A new set of rules to better regulate safety standards for those who manufacture infant formula products has been set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to Reuters.

"This rule will help to prevent adulteration in infant formula and ensure infant formula supports normal, physical growth," Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, said in a statement, according to a press release from the FDA.

As many families rely on infant formula when mothers are unable to produce breast milk due to certain medical reasons or their child cannot digest the mother's milk, these products become a critical source of nutrition for the newborn's diet throughout the first year of his or her life, according to the health organization.

Officials note that the FDA's quality control procedure's notification and record and reporting requirements will now ask that manufacturers of the products to include microbial testing for the possibility of contamination. This will include representatives testing samples of finished products to prevent the distribution of infant formula products that could be contaminated with the pathogens Cronobacter and Salmonella. The final rule also requires a quality factor that supports healthy overall growth of the product.

Infant formula is not the only safety regulation to receive new advising over the last few months. Proposed rules regarding better safety for antibacterial soaps, imported food and apple juice have also been a topic of conversation.

To find out more about the specific requirements regarding infant formula, click here for the FDA's release.