NEW DELHI: Expressing serious concern over ongoing global recalls of powdered infant formula linked to contamination by harmful bacteria and toxins that can cause life-threatening infections and severe illnesses, a leading infant care advocacy group on Thursday urged the Centre to take immediate steps to safeguard infant health and feeding safety.
On the occasion of World Breastfeeding Protection Day, the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), a 35-year-old non-profit organisation working to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in India, urged the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to develop a national guidance specifically on the use of powdered infant formula based on WHO guidance on safe preparation, storage, handling, and disposal of powdered infant formula feeds.
BPNI, which is part of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), also said that the government should ensure that caregivers are clearly informed that powdered infant formula is not sterile including instructions for hygienic preparation and immediate discarding of leftover prepared feeds.
“Mandate clear front-of-pack statements that powdered infant milk substitutes and infant food products are not sterile. Develop and strengthen systems for surveillance, public alerts, and rapid response related to contamination and recalls of infant feeding products,” said BPNI, which has been notified as a child welfare NGO to initiate action under section 21(1) of the IMS Act for officially monitoring and implementing the Act since 1995.
They also said that since misleading marketing prevails in India and leads to unnecessary use of powdered formula in the hospitals, the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992, and Amendment Act 2003 (IMS Act) so that unnecessary use of formula is curtailed.
“Issue an immediate advisory to all health facilities (both public and private), and health professionals/associations regarding these risks,” said a statement from BPNI, which also reiterated that breastfeeding remains the safest and most reliable source of infant nutrition, and thus needs to be protected, promoted and supported.
A sizable number of babies in India are fed with powdered infant milk substitutes and infant foods. Quoting the National Family Health Survey-5, BPNI said that 9.1% of babies in the breastfeeding group and 13.9% of babies in the non-breastfeeding group received infant formula.
According to an estimate, the Indian Baby Food and Infant Formula Market is valued at Rs. 205 billion.
“The key question is whether there should be stronger controls for the safe manufacture of all powdered milk foods for infants and young children and systems for communicating their risks to India’s youngest citizens,” the statement said.
Highlighting that breastfeeding should be considered an essential public health and infant feeding safety measure, the advocacy group, said over the years, intrinsic contamination of commercially manufactured formula, often misleadingly marketed, has led to infant deaths, factory closures, interrupted supplies and distress to families.
The recent detection of contamination since November 2025 has resulted in ongoing recalls across more than 130 countries and judicial inquiries into infant deaths in France, they said. "These international recalls across multiple countries have once again highlighted an important but insufficiently communicated public health fact: powdered infant formula is not a sterile product."
Intrinsic contamination of powdered formula can occur with organisms such as Salmonella species, Cronobacter sakazakii (formerly Enterobacter sakazakii) and Clostridium botulinum, and Bacillus cereus and others. Such contamination may occur during manufacturing, either from the production environment or from raw ingredients.
Such contamination can cause life-threatening infections and severe illnesses, including sepsis and meningitis, particularly in preterm, low-birth-weight, and immunocompromised infants. Ensuring the safety of infant feeding requires strong prevention measures.
"The World Health Assembly and WHO/FAO guidance have for many years recognized these risks and advised countries to ensure that health workers and caregivers are clearly informed about safe preparation, handling, and storage of powdered infant formula. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission are working together to ensure a coordinated and effective response to this issue," they added.