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Infant formula investigation
The Florida Department of Health recently raised public safety concerns regarding heavy metals in baby formula. FOX 13's Craig Patrick reports.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Department of Health recently raised public safety concerns regarding heavy metals in baby formula.
Heavy Metals in Baby Formula
What we know:
During a press conference on January 9, 2026, First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the state tested 24 infant formulas, claiming that 16 of them contained heavy metals—such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury—that exceeded federal standards.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo warned that these contaminants could cause neurodevelopmental injuries and damage to major organs.
Dr. Ladapo said that the state used the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) safe water drinking standards as the benchmark for testing the formulas. The state subsequently published a scorecard, placing a red-circled letter on products it claimed exceeded these maximum limits.
Questions Raised About State’s Methodology
The other side:
Independent experts have raised questions about the state's methodology and the accuracy of its published results.
Dr. Marie Bourgeois, a toxicologist and chemistry professor at the University of South Florida (USF), noted that infant formula is considered food, and the EPA's safe water drinking standards are designed for testing drinking water.
She noted that while powdered formulas are mixed with water, the products themselves should be evaluated based on food safety standards.
Dr. Bourgeois also pointed out that federal maximum limits typically relate to chronic, long-term exposure, rather than daily limits. After reviewing the state's data, she described the findings as mathematically flawed and inconsistent.
"Without being able to see anything about what testing methods they use, the number of samples, all of the study setup, I can't say that I would rely on it," Dr. Bourgeois said.
Mathematical Errors and Inconsistencies
By the numbers:
A review of the state's published data by FOX 13 Chief Investigator Craig Patrick revealed several apparent mathematical errors and inconsistencies in how the state flagged products:
- Mathematical Discrepancies: The state data for Kendamil Goat Milk Based Formula listed the average level of mercury at 2.12 parts per billion (ppb), but listed the maximum level of mercury found at 1.22 ppb. This would pose an apparent mathematical contradiction.
- Inconsistent Mercury Warnings: The state flagged Similac Total Comfort Powder for exceeding mercury limits, listing a maximum detection of 0.36 ppb. However, the EPA's maximum drinking water limit for mercury is 2.0 ppb. Furthermore, the state data showed six other formulas with higher mercury levels than the Similac product, yet those six were not flagged (all tested below the federal limits).
- Inconsistent Arsenic Warnings: The state flagged Enfamil Infant Powder (2.74 ppb) and Enfamil Gentlease NeuroPro Ready to Use (2.91 ppb) for arsenic. Both levels are well below the EPA limit of 10 ppb. Meanwhile, the state did not flag other formulas that its own data showed had higher arsenic levels (all tested below the federal limits).
Parents Express Deep Concerns
Local perspective:
The state's warnings concern parents like Zoe Chase. Zoe Chase, a mother who uses the federal WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program to afford formula, expressed deep concern over the state's initial announcements.
Zoe Chase feeds her baby infant formula and is concerned over the state's initial announcement about heavy metals being found in 16 of 24 infant formulas tested.
WIC currently covers only four specific types of formula in Florida.
According to the state's own published scorecard, all four of the currently available WIC options are flagged for exceeding maximum limits on heavy metals.
While state officials, including the First Lady and Dr. Ladapo, promised in January that WIC families would be given alternative formula options, Chase notes that she and other mothers are still waiting for safe, affordable alternatives to be made available.
FDA conducts tests
Big picture view:
For parents looking for broader data on formula safety, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted its own extensive testing recently.
In April 2026, the FDA published the results of a study examining 312 samples of infant formula.
The FDA's findings showed that all tested formulas were well below the EPA drinking water requirements for heavy metals. Specifically, the FDA found:
- All samples were at least 2x below EPA limits for arsenic.
- All samples were at least 3x below EPA limits for cadmium.
- All samples were at least 8x below EPA limits for lead.
- 95% of samples had no detectable mercury, and all were at least 6x below EPA limits.
Still Awaiting a Response
What's next:
FOX 13 has formally requested an interview with Governor DeSantis, First Lady Casey DeSantis, and Dr. Ladapo to discuss their testing methods, protocols, and the verification of their published numbers.
Following FOX 13's email request for this information, the Florida Department of Health removed the testing numbers from its website. We are still waiting for a response from the administration.
The Source: Information in this report includes public statements made by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo and First Lady Casey DeSantis during a January 9, 2026, press conference. Data analysis is based on the state's testing results, which were publicly available on the Florida Department of Health website prior to being removed. Expert analysis of the data was provided in an interview with USF toxicologist Dr. Marie Bourgeois. The FDA data referenced is from the agency's official infant formula product testing results published in April 2026.