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FSSAI Issues Alert on Baby Foods Amid Global Concerns
Confirmed
In Short: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an alert on infant formula after a sample failed biotin requirements, raising concerns about nutritional quality and contamination.
In September 2026, FSSAI found that a sample of follow-up formula did not meet prescribed biotin (Vitamin B7) requirements on re-analysis, according to a recent report by The Indian Express.
Biotin is crucial for processing fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, and its deficiency can affect a baby's rapid growth and development.
The alert comes amid renewed global concerns about infant formula safety, following investigations and recalls in the US involving potential microbial contamination and testing for heavy metals, pesticides, and other chemical contaminants.
Parents concerned about product quality are advised to consult their pediatricians rather than making independent feeding changes.
The FSSAI has also invoked Section 3 of the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods Act, 1992, which restricts advertising and promotion of infant milk substitutes and specified infant foods.
The authority examined Nestlé's infant nutrition products and their promotional material available on e-commerce platforms, finding non-compliance with regulatory standards.
In one case, FSSAI flagged promotional claims regarding '5 HMOs' (Human Milk Oligosaccharides) and 'Whey Protein' on NAN Excella Pro Stage 1.
Contamination cannot always be detected by looking at a product or reading its label, highlighting the need for rigorous testing and regulatory oversight.
The issue has taken on added relevance in India, where concerns about infant formula safety are growing.
In the UK, residents near a major chemical factory are facing high levels of cancer-causing chemicals in their blood, leading to potential legal action against the factory.
In the US, Abbott Laboratories will pay $385 million to resolve claims tied to an investigation of contamination at a baby formula factory in Sturgis, Michigan, which led to supply shortages in 2022.
According to research, an estimated 2,854 locations in the U.S. have documented some PFAS contamination, but not all exceed health advisory levels.
What this adds
The FSSAI's alert highlights the importance of regulatory oversight in ensuring the safety and nutritional quality of infant formula products.
What's confirmed
- A subsequent re-analysis conducted by a Referral Laboratory confirmed that the sample failed to conform to prescribed Biotin standards mandated under the 2020 Infant Nutrition Regulations.
What's still developing
- More than 100 residents, including those who had their blood tested, are now considering taking a group legal action against AGC Chemicals to claim damages for the contamination Sarah Moore, partner at law firm Leigh Day - which is representing some residents - said compensation could be sought for financial losses on residents' homes and the impact it has had on their use and enjoyment of the land.
- “We haven’t seen a decline of this magnitude in about three decades,” said Joseph Llobrera, senior director of research on food assistance at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which did the analysis.
- According to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, SNAP-eligible households are required to receive benefits within 30 days of application.
- “It has 18g protein per serving and very versatile (can be used for savory or sweet flavor profiles),” she says.
- The study found insufficient links to other health conditions, “such as cardiovascular outcomes other than high cholesterol or developmental outcomes other than small reductions in birth weight,” among others.
- However, I’m aware that I need better nutrition to stay healthy.
- “In response to the notice, we have again submitted our detailed response to the authorities regarding statements appearing on the label, which are factual in nature and supported by scientific literature,” the spokesperson added.
- Courtney Southwick is a writer focusing on health, nutrition, and disease.
- Medications you should not take with dairy include antibiotics and drugs for thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, and mental health.
- “This contamination can happen if produce is grown in soil or comes into contact with water that has been contaminated,” said Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for a North Carolina State University food safety program, Safe Plates.
- Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC.