Traces of Melamine Found in US Infant Formula

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is insisting the formula is still safe for children, despite releasing previous statements that the agency could not identify any safe level of exposure to the chemical.

26/11/08 The US Food and Drug Administration has said that it has discovered the toxic chemical melamine in infant formula made by an American manufacturer.

While few details are available thus far, agency officials said they had discovered melamine at trace levels in a single sample of infant formula. It was also discovered in several samples of dietary supplements that are made by some of the same manufacturers who make formula.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is insisting the formula is still safe for children, despite releasing previous statements that the agency could not identify any safe level of exposure to the chemical.

Dr. Stephen Sundlof, who is the director of The FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition was quoted in the AP report as stating “The levels that we are detecting are extremely low… They [parents] should not be changing the diet. If they’ve been feeding a particular product, they should continue to feed that product. That’s in the best interest of the baby.”

Many remain skeptical of the FDA’s advice due to recent reports of melamine containing products contributing to the illnesses and deaths of children in China. The chemical was found in higher concentrations of formula produced in China and said to have killed three babies and led to 50,000 more becoming sick.

No confirmation had yet been made at the time of the report of illnesses caused by the contamination.