Powdered Infant Formula — food safety profile
Moderate riskPowdered infant formula (Similac, Enfamil, etc.).
What is this product?
Powdered infant formula (Similac, Enfamil, etc.). Primary nutrition source for non-breastfed infants. Contains DHA/ARA oils (hexane-extracted), palm oil (reduces calcium absorption), corn syrup solids (glucose source), soy lecithin. Heavy metal contamination documented (Pb, As, Cd, Hg) — FDA has no enforceable limits for infant formula. Cronobacter sakazakii contamination risk in powdered form (not sterile). 2022 Abbott/Similac recall highlighted manufacturing contamination risks.
What's in it
Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.
Heavy Metal
- Manganese — No FDA enforceable limit for infant formula; Healthy Babies Bright Futures found Pb in 80% of samples
Safer alternatives
- Breastfeeding (when possible)
- Ready-to-feed liquid (sterile)
- European formula brands (stricter standards)
Frequently asked questions
What's in Powdered Infant Formula?
This product type can contain: Lead, among others. Click any compound name above for the full safety profile.
Are there safer alternatives to Powdered Infant Formula?
Yes — consider: Breastfeeding (when possible); Ready-to-feed liquid (sterile); European formula brands (stricter standards). See the Safer alternatives section above for details.
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Open in food View raw API dataReference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →