Trump Administration Announces First Major Update to Infant Formula Standards in Nearly 30 Years

DES MOINES, IA—OCTOBER 29, 2026—As part of President Trump’s Operation Stork Speed and the broader Make America Healthy Again initiative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Food and Drug Administration, is taking two actions that reflect the FDA’s comprehensive commitment to ensuring that infant formula is both safe and nutritious for American babies. The agency today issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would update infant formula nutrient requirements. While that process moves forward, the FDA is taking action now — releasing new chemical contaminant testing data showing that most infant formula samples had low or non-detectable levels of contaminants.

“Parents deserve confidence in every bottle they feed their baby,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Under President Trump’s Operation Stork Speed and Make America Healthy Again agenda, we are proposing stronger nutrient requirements, testing formula for contaminants, and putting the results directly in parents’ hands. We will hold infant formula manufacturers to rigorous scientific standards and put babies’ health first.”

Secretary Kennedy made the announcement at Amanda the Panda Children Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Modernizing Infant Formula Nutrient Requirements

As part of its first comprehensive review of infant formula nutrients since 1998, the FDA today issued the first of three planned proposed rules that, if finalized, would update infant formula nutrient requirements. The proposed changes would help ensure that infant formula requirements reflect the available gold standard science to support infant growth and development. These efforts will modernize infant formula standards and support the Trump Administration’s priority of ensuring that American families have access to safe and nutrient-dense options that give every baby a healthy start.

The proposed changes announced today represent the first phase of the FDA’s comprehensive review of the 30 nutrients currently required in infant formula marketed in the United States. The FDA is conducting the review in three phases, allowing the agency to advance and receive public comment on evidence-based proposals as each phase of the review is completed. Subsequent phases will assess the remaining required nutrients, potential new nutrient requirements, and carbohydrate sources. The FDA intends to consolidate final changes to infant formula nutrient requirements into a single comprehensive final rule.

This proposed rule would update requirements for iodine, manganese, vitamin A, and vitamin D and reaffirm existing requirements for chloride, potassium, selenium, and sodium. It would also change the units of measure for two nutrients and request public input on potential requirements for ingredients that are currently not required in infant formula but commonly added by manufacturers due to their nutritional value. There is evidence to support that nutrients, such as arachidonic acid (ARA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and L-carnitine, contribute to neurodevelopmental health in infancy.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are modernizing our nutritional requirements for infant formula for the first time in nearly three decades,” said FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, J.D. “By doing this, we are stepping up to guarantee that American babies receive world class, gold-standard nourishment from day one.”

The agency invites the public, including clinicians, doctors, parents, caregivers, the scientific community, industry, and others, to comment on the proposed rule. The comment period is open, and the deadline to submit comments is February 26, 2027.

Electronic comments may be submitted to www.regulations.gov docket number FDA-2026-56789. Written comments should be submitted to the Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. All written comments should identify the docket number FDA-2026-56789 for “Infant Formula Nutrient Requirements.”

Latest Infant Formula Contaminant Testing Results

Also today, the FDA released new chemical contaminant testing data on infant formula — and the results are reassuring. Most infant formula samples tested had low or non-detectable levels of chemical contaminants, consistent with findings released earlier this year. To make these results easier to find and explore, the FDA launched a new Infant Formula Testing Webpage and an Infant Formula Chemical Contaminants Dashboard. In alignment with the FDA’s Closer to Zero initiative, the agency is working toward establishing action levels for certain chemical contaminants in infant formula and will continue to monitor contaminant levels in infant formula and take action as appropriate.

Additional Resources

• FDA’s Infant Formula Homepage
• Operation Stork Speed
• Infant Formulas Marketed in the U.S.
• Infant Formula Nutrient Requirements Proposed Rule
• FDA’s Infant Formula Product Testing Results
• Infant Formula Chemical Contaminants Dashboard
• Closer to Zero: Reducing Childhood Exposure to Contaminants from Foods
• Information for Parents & Caregivers
• Information for Healthcare Professionals
• Information for Industry and Infant Formula Manufacturers