March 20, 2025
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Consumer Reports tested 41 baby formulas for heavy metals and other contaminants and found that about half concerning levels of at least on contaminant.
Many baby formulas contain potentially harmful levels of arsenic, lead or so-called "forever chemicals," but there also are many safe options available on the market, a Consumer Reports analysis shows.
About half of the 41 infant formulas tested by Consumer Reports showed concerning levels of at least on contaminant, the report shows. On the other hand, none of the tested formulas contained mercury, and those that had cadmium were at such low levels that they were not deemed risky.
Infant formula is a tightly-regulated industry, and manufacturers contested some of Consumer Reports' findings. But ingredients in the products can be exposed to environmental pollutants and contaminants during manufacturing, according to Consumer Reports.
"All of the contaminants we found in our tests are, unfortunately, common in our food supply and environment; many have been found in studies of breastmilk as well," Consumer Reports wrote.
Several reports in recent years have raised concerns about dangerous levels of heavy metals and other chemicals in foods meant for children under 2. A 2021 report from a U.S. House subcommittee found some baby food products contained toxic levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. Another report from an advocacy group published in 2019 identified lead in 95% of the baby food products it tested.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration started the Closer to Zero program in 2021 to reduce exposure to contaminants in foods to as low levels as possible, with a particular emphasis on baby products. Newborns, infants and children are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of heavy metals and chemicals.
On Tuesday, Consumer Reports petitioned Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "to follow through on your announcement of increased oversight of infant formula, and ensure that the FDA maintains the staff and resources that it needs to oversee the safety of our food supply."
That same day, Kennedy announced the launch of "Operation Stork Speed," a new FDA initiative to increase testing of infant formula for heavy metals and other contaminants and bolster industry oversight.
"We really want these results to be empowering for parents," Sana Mujahid, a mom and Consumer Reports' manager of food safety research and testing, said in the Consumer Reports analysis. "If you are just at the beginning of your formula journey, there are plenty of safer choices from major brands like Enfamil and Similac and smaller brands like Bobbie. If you are already giving your child one of the formulas on our list with comparatively higher levels of contaminants, there are several steps you can take."
Here are the major findings from the Consumer Reports investigation:
Consumer Reports calculated a "hazard quotient" for the "level below which no adverse health effects would be expected to occur, assuming a 3-month-old infant of average size eating an average amount each day." Of the 41 formulas tested, eight came in over the limit and two were close to it. The rest were below the "hazard quotient."
The highest inorganic arsenic level was in Abbott Nutrition's EleCare Hypoallergenic, and the second highest in Abbott's Similac Alimentum. The manufacturer responded to Consumer Reports in a statement, saying the company had concerns about the methodology of the investigation and that heavy metals "may be present in trace amounts in food products, including all brands of infant formula and even human breast milk," because they exist in the environment.
Lead exposure – through lead-based paint, lead pipes in drinking water, contaminated soil and dust – is particularly harmful to children under 6. It can lead to brain damage, learning and behavior problems, delayed growth and other health complications.
Consumer Reports found lead in nearly all the infant formulas it tested. The lead levels were below the Closer to Zero guidelines for baby food products. But Closer to Zero doesn't include guidance for baby formula. So Consumer Reports used the more stringent Maximum Allowable Dose Level set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for measuring lead levels in baby formulas.
For 18 of the tested formulas, the average amount a 3-month-old would ingest would fall between 50 and 100% of the MADL limit, according to the investigation. Babies are also exposed to lead through the environment and other ways, so any exposure through infant formula would only be part of the total equation.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are human-made, "forever chemicals" that do not break down over time. They have been used in everyday products such as non-stick cookware and stain-resistant clothing and have contaminated the environment and water supply. The Environmental Protection Agency established a plan in 2021 to hold polluters accountable, limit future use of PFAS and invest in research. Consumer Reports found PFAS in almost all of the formulas it tested.
Bisphenol A, or BPA, and acrylamide are chemicals that are known to be harmful to babies' health. BPA, a human-made chemical that leaches plastic into foods, and acrylamide, another harmful chemical, were found in one of the formulas: Enfamil's Nutramigen. The manufacturer, Mead Johnson, said the finding contradicted "hundreds of results from several years of testing done of both raw materials and finished products" by the company's food safety experts.
The other 40 infant formulas showed no presence of BPA or acrylamide.
"Experts we spoke to were glad to hear that only one formula contained BPA, and said that if we had done this same test 10 years ago, we likely would have found much more," Consumer Reports said.
