The FDA said Wednesday that a new analysis of chemicals in U.S. infant formula found “reassuringly low” levels of heavy metals, pesticides and other potential contaminants, and that the supply is safe, federal health officials said as part of the agency’s Operation Stork Speed project.
The review tested more than 300 samples of commercial infant formula between 2023 and 2025 for multiple categories of contaminants, the FDA said. The testing included heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, along with pesticides, phthalates—chemicals found in plastics—and PFAS, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or “forever chemicals.”
FDA officials reported that levels of the contaminants they looked for were undetectable or very low. They said the heavy metals detected were below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limits for drinking water, and they reported that no pesticides were detected in 99% of samples.
On PFAS, the FDA said it found no detections for 25 of the 30 PFAS compounds tested in the infant formula samples. The FDA and outside experts discussed the results as part of a broader effort to evaluate chemical exposures in infant foods.
Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrics professor at the University of Texas at Austin who reviewed the findings, said there is no reason for parents to stop using formula based on the FDA’s analysis. “There’s no reason not to use any available formula” in the U.S., Abrams said.
Outside experts largely agreed with the agency’s assessment, noting that small amounts of some substances—such as heavy metals—can occur naturally in the environment. But Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a pediatrics professor at UW Medicine and the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, said the detection of some contaminants remained concerning, including chemicals she described as synthetic.
Sathyanarayana said, “These chemicals are completely synthetic,” adding, “The detection of some of these compounds at all is concerning.” She said the results point to the need for continued monitoring of infant formula and of the larger U.S. food supply.
The FDA’s review was conducted under Operation Stork Speed, which the Trump administration launched in March 2025, framing it as the first large-scale review of infant formula safety and quality standards in decades. The project “largest and most rigorous” to date, according to how it has been billed, builds on earlier FDA work examining substances such as heavy metals in infant foods.
Abrams said previous FDA efforts have addressed some contaminants linked to potential developmental concerns, such as effects on brain development, learning and behavior in children. He also said the FDA should continue monitoring formula for contaminants and share the results.
The report also highlighted that, unlike some other regions, the FDA does not currently have enforceable limits for heavy metals in infant formulas. Consumer advocacy groups have pressed for firmer limits, and Abrams referenced a Consumer Reports analysis last year of 41 infant formulas, which he said used its own level of concern and drew public attention that led some parents to stop using commercial formula even when it was needed.
Abbott, one of the nation’s largest formula makers, urged the FDA to set scientific standards for contaminants in infant formula. Abbott spokesman John Koval said in an email that the results affirm the safety of the company’s current domestic supply and that producing infant formula at scale in the U.S. is a matter of national security.