FDA to Revise Infant Formula Nutrition Standards for First Time in Decades
WHO:
CNN - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing changes to infant-formula nutrient requirements; the agency’s acting director, Kyle Diamantas, described the review.
CNN - US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said parents deserve confidence in every bottle they feed their baby and described the proposed standards and testing.
CNN - FDA staff scientists conducted the nutrition review. The agency is seeking input from the scientific community, clinicians, industry and the public.
NBC News Health - The FDA plans to propose new rules on nutrients required in infant formula.
WHAT:
NBC News Health - The proposed changes would adjust both minimum and maximum levels for iodine, manganese, vitamin A and vitamin D.
CNN - The FDA is reviewing infant-formula nutrition requirements for the first time in nearly 30 years. The first phase addresses four of 30 required nutrients: iodine, manganese, vitamin A and vitamin D.
NBC News Health - The planned changes would adjust the minimum and maximum levels of iodine, manganese, vitamin A and vitamin D.
CNN - The review considered nutrient reference values for healthy growth and development, potential toxicity levels for infants, human-milk nutrient composition, other countries’ standards and studies published since 1998.
CNN - The FDA is asking for public input on nutrients not currently required but commonly added by manufacturers, including the long-chain fatty acids ARA and DHA and L-carnitine, which helps the body break down fats and use them in tissues.
CNN - Diamantas said evidence indicates these nutrients contribute to neurodevelopment and health in infancy.
CNN - The agency said the review is ongoing; later phases will assess the remaining required nutrients, possible new nutrient requirements and carbohydrate sources.
CNN - Health officials provided an update on testing infant formula for chemical contaminants; Diamantas said the latest results “continue to be reassuring.”
CNN - Kennedy said the administration is proposing stronger nutrient requirements, testing formula for contaminants and providing results directly to parents. He said manufacturers would be held to rigorous scientific standards and babies’ health would come first.
WHY:
CNN - The review examines nutrient levels associated with healthy infant growth and development and levels that could be toxic.
CNN - The FDA is considering whether ARA, DHA and L-carnitine should become mandatory because of evidence linking them to neurodevelopment and infant health.
HOW:
The Independent - An international nutrition pyramid developed by 22 nutritionists from Europe, Canada, the United States and Australia emphasizes plant-based proteins and oils, recommends limiting refined grains, processed meats and sugary drinks, and advises keeping sugar below 10% of total calories.
CNN - FDA staff scientists conducted the review, which will be submitted for peer review as required by law.
CNN - The review is part of the Trump administration’s Operation Stork Speed initiative, which the article says was announced in March 2025.
NBC News Health - The planned changes were shared with NBC News in advance.
(UPDATED October 30, 2026 00:01 UTC)
The FDA is proposing its first major review of infant-formula nutrient requirements in nearly 30 years, with changes to the minimum and maximum levels of iodine, manganese, vitamin A and vitamin D. FDA scientists assessed evidence on infant growth, potential toxicity, breast milk and international standards, and the agency is seeking public input on whether nutrients such as ARA, DHA and L-carnitine should also be required. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration aims to strengthen standards and share contaminant-testing results with parents; the FDA says recent test results remain reassuring, and the review will undergo peer review.
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(UPDATED October 29, 2026 20:06 UTC)
The FDA is proposing the first major review of infant-formula nutrient requirements in nearly 30 years, starting with changes to minimum and maximum levels of iodine, manganese, vitamin A and vitamin D. Staff scientists assessed evidence on healthy growth, potential toxicity, breast milk and international standards, and the agency is seeking public input on whether nutrients such as ARA, DHA and L-carnitine should also be required. The review will undergo peer review, while the FDA says recent tests for chemical contaminants remain reassuring and that later phases will examine other nutrients and carbohydrate sources.