The US launches widespread testing of infant formula.

VTV.vn - The US is conducting a large-scale inspection of ingredients used in infant formula.

The US launches widespread testing of infant formula.

The U.S. is conducting a large-scale review of ingredients used in infant formula, following last year's recall of ByHeart products that resulted in 51 infants being hospitalized due to potential poisoning.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ingredients such as milk powder and whey protein concentrate will be tested for Clostridium botulinum spores – the bacteria that causes botulism.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Kyle Diamantas, Deputy Commissioner for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said the agency will be testing ingredients such as milk powder and whey protein concentrate.

He emphasized that the goal was to determine whether the bacterial infection leading to botulism should be considered a foreseeable hazard, so that businesses could proactively incorporate it into their inspection processes.

As part of the ByHeart investigation, recent testing has detected botulism-causing spores in whole milk powder from a supplier to ByHeart.

Previously, manufacturers of infant formula were not required to test for these spores because they had never been recorded as a contaminant in the past.

However, Diamantas asserted that authorities currently believe the supply of infant formula in the U.S. remains safe, and that testing this ingredient is merely an effort to assess the entire supply chain and help authorities understand the next steps.

When asked whether companies might be required to test for Clostridium botulinum spores in the future, Mr. Diamantas stated that this is a possibility. He said it remains unclear whether there have been any changes in the manufacturing process of infant formula, or whether the risk of contamination from this bacterium has been overlooked over the years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hopes to find the answer through this round of testing.

Regarding whether ByHeart will be able to continue production, Mr. Diamantas said he himself was unsure.

ByHeart has not yet commented on this matter.

Source: https://vtv.vn/my-mo-dot-kiem-tra-sua-cong-thuc-dien-rong-100260205165028741.htm