How do baby formula ingredients get approved?
Trends in ingredients added to infant formula: FDA's experiences in the GRAS notification program.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Baby formula needs to be safe and nutritious, so the FDA checks what goes into it. Companies often say their ingredients are safe based on past use or because they're like mom's milk, and the FDA reviews those claims.
Practical Takeaways
When choosing formula, look for brands that publicly share their ingredient safety data or GRAS notifications—some may voluntarily disclose more than required.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Baby formula needs to be safe and nutritious, so the FDA checks what goes into it. Companies often say their ingredients are safe based on past use or because they're like mom's milk, and the FDA reviews those claims.
Practical Takeaways
When choosing formula, look for brands that publicly share their ingredient safety data or GRAS notifications—some may voluntarily disclose more than required.
Publication
Journal
Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
Year
2023
Authors
Rachel Morissette, J. Mihalov, Susan J. Carlson, Kotaro J. Kaneko
Related Content
Claims (6)
Food companies can decide for themselves that a new ingredient is safe to put in food, without asking the FDA for approval or telling the public how they made that decision.
Companies that make ingredients for baby formula often use a special U.S. government shortcut called GRAS to prove their ingredients are safe for babies, without needing full FDA approval.
Breast milk is the best food for babies in their first year, and even when they start eating other foods, breast milk still helps them grow well. If a baby can’t be breastfed, they need another food that’s just as good for them.
In the U.S., the FDA makes sure that baby formula has the right ingredients and is safe so babies can grow and develop properly.
Most baby formula ingredients have been used safely for a long time or look a lot like the stuff in mom’s breast milk.