FDA: No Safe Level of Melamine in Infant Formula

Brian W. Smith

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food, including infant formula.

With regard to infant formulas, the FDA states that it is currently unable to establish any minimal level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that would be safe for conusumers.

There is too much uncertainty to set a level in infant formula and rule out any public health concern. However, it is important to understand that this does not mean that any exposure to any detectable level of melamine and melamine–related compounds in formula will result in harm to infants.

With regard to food products other than infant formula, the FDA concludes that levels of melamine and melamine-related compounds below 2.5 parts per million (ppm) do not raise concerns. That finding is consistent with the findings of Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety regarding Cadbury chocolate products. That agency said it tested six Cadbury chocolate samples, including two made at Cadbury's Beijing plant, and found them to contain less than 2.5 parts per million, which is legally considered acceptable there.

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