FDA Advisory: Melamine-Contaminated Infant Formula in China

Caretakers of infants may be asking about the safety of U.S. infant formula following reports that at least one infant in China died and hundreds developed kidney stones after consuming milk-based infant formula.

The FDA issued an advisory stating that "there is no known threat of contamination in infant formula manufactured by companies that have met the requirements to sell infant formula in the United States." However, the FDA is investigating whether potentially affected formula is being sold in Asian specialty markets in the U.S.

The Chinese government's preliminary investigation has determined that infant formula manufactured by the Sanlu Group contained melamine, a contaminant also found in tainted pet food from China last year, the New York Times reports.

The FDA says the following manufacturers have met the requirements for marketing amino acid-based-exempt and milk-based infant formula in the U.S.: SHS/Nutricia, Abbott Nutritionals, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, Nestle USA, PBM Nutritionals, and Solus Products.