MIAMI — Florida will begin regularly testing baby formula for hazardous metals and chemicals, the DeSantis administration announced Friday.
The push is being led by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis and comes as the Sunshine State continues amplifying the Trump administration’s agenda in multiple arenas. The first lady has taken on a new “MAHA commission” modeled after the Make America Healthy Again initiative underway at the national level, and she said more announcements about the “safety and integrity of our food supply” would be forthcoming.
She called on other states to follow Florida’s lead. “When states work together, accountability increases, transparency improves and manufacturers start paying attention,” DeSantis said during a press conference in Bartow, Florida.
Before mounting the latest change, state health officials tested 24 different baby formulas, finding 16 contained concerning ingredients. Most common among them was mercury, which can harm a baby’s brain and nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other contaminants found in some baby formula samples, DeSantis said, included arsenic, lead and cadmium, which can damage kidneys over time. The Department of Health posted its results on a newly created website.
