Formula Fears: Illegal Imports

The news about tainted milk in Chinese-made baby formula was tragic and scary, and it made us wonder, "Could that ever happen here?" The answer: No (thank goodness!). Formula production in the U.S. is tightly controlled by the Food and Drug Administration, so "the risk of contamination is extremely, extremely low," says Jatinder Bhatia, M.D., of the American Academy of Pediatrics's Committee on Nutrition. Importing formula from China and other countries is actually illegal, so you don't need to worry, for the most part, about choosing a "safe" brand (all of the U.S. brands, including generic ones, must meet the same quality standards). The exception: Some small stores may sell illegally imported formula, so if it wasn't manufactured in America, don't buy it!