FDA Approves Baby Formula Melamine Levels

On Friday, the FDA set a threshold of 1 part per million of melamine in formula. Conveniently, the threshold is above the levels found in U.S. baby formula. This assumes, the FDA states, provided a related chemical, cyanuric acid, is not present. They also insisted that U.S. baby formulas are safe. Read: U.S. Baby Formula Found with Traces of Melamine.

The FDA will still not set a standard if both are present; the tainted samples did not have both chemicals.

This level is 20x higher than Taiwan's standard, which is the most stringent level in the world, but it is the same as the one public health officials have set in Canada and China.

Urvashi Rangan, a senior scientist with the Consumers Union in New York, criticized the FDA's decision:

"This is a slippery slope of rationalization by FDA. FDA needs to get a handle on how widespread the problem is and, most important, if both these chemicals are occurring in any products. They just haven't tested enough to know that yet."

It should also be noted that last week members of Congress and the Illinois attorney general demanded a national recall. The FDA felt it was unnecessary, and if you believe their new standards, it is. Read FDA Sets Melamine Safety Standard Just In The Nick of Time.

But how safe are the new levels, and how much of the speed at which they were determined is related to industry pressure?