The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said there is still no known threat of contamination in infant formula manufactured by companies that have met the requirements to sell such products in the United States. But at the same time it has cautioned members of Chinese communities in the United States that infant formula manufactured in China, possibly available for purchase at Asian markets, could pose a risk to infants.
It said its information is based on its contact with companies that manufacture infant formula for distribution in the U.S., in which the companies reassured the agency that they are not importing formula or source materials from China.
The tainted infant formula has become a major scandal in China. The country's food inspection chief resigned today after a number of children died from the tainted formula and another 53,000 were reportedly sickened.
"FDA has taken, and will continue to take, proactive measures to help ensure the safety of the American food supply," the agency said in a statement. "In conjunction with state and local officials, FDA will continue to check retail stores for food items imported from China that could contain a significant amount of milk or milk proteins. Additionally, FDA is sampling and testing milk and milk-derived ingredients and finished food products that could contain these ingredients from Chinese sources."
Milk-derived ingredients include whole milk powder, non-fat milk powder, whey powder, lactose powder, and casein. The FDA says sampling and testing is done when these ingredients or products are imported into the United States or found during visits to Asian markets. If the products are adulterated because they contain melamine and/or a melamine analog, FDA will take action to prevent the products from entering the U.S. food supply.
In addition to state and local governments, FDA is working in close cooperation with Customs and Border Protection within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, other federal agencies, and foreign governments. The FDA is advising consumers not to purchase infant formula manufactured in China from Internet sites or from other sources.
