The infant formula shortage of 2022 was precipitated by FDA’s delayed response to whistleblower complaints about contaminated product—a delay caused by the agency not having the necessary policies and procedures in place to address the issue at the time—according to a new report published by the U.S. DHHS’ Office of the Inspector General.

The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold a virtual public meeting on June 24 to provide updates on its charges from USDA and FDA regarding genomics and Cronobacter in powdered infant formula, respectively.

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Accountability will hold a hearing on April 11, 2024 to question FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. about the agency’s failure to prevent recent food safety crises.

The Singapore Food Agency has proposed amendments to federal regulations that would allow the use of new ingredients in infant formula, and would also extend the use of permitted food additives.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit a new genetically modified organism (GMO) for use as the source for the production of a human identical milk oligosaccharide to be used in infant formula products.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we review the top food safety stories of 2023 and their implications, covering regulatory changes in the U.S. and abroad; growing concerns about chemical additives and contaminants, allergens, traceability requirements, infant formula, and retail foodservice safety; and the Poisoned documentary that premiered on Netflix in summer 2023.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided an update on its completed and ongoing actions to strengthen the safety and resiliency of the nation’s supply of infant formula, including specific actions the agency has taken to meet the recommendations made in FDA’s evaluation of the infant formula crisis response.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a new resource for industry on the new requirement for manufacturers of critical foods, such as infant formula, to develop a redundancy risk management plan.

Starting in 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began to include new restrictions in new Food Contact Notifications on the use of food contact substances for infant applications. Recently, FDA has hosted webinars to present information on regulatory requirements and considerations for infant formula ingredients and packaging. This article will discuss the history and current efforts by FDA to ensure the safety of infant formula, especially pertaining to food contact substances used in packaging.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its infant formula compliance program, which outlines the agency’s approach to inspections, sample collection, sample analysis, and compliance activities for FDA personnel, with a focus on Cronobacter and Salmonella contamination.