The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has issued a warning about the safe use of infant formulas. Among the recommendations is that consumers avoid buying imported infant formulas through e-commerce, due to the difficulty in knowing the origin and regulation of the product.
Infant formulas are products, in liquid or powder form, specially manufactured to meet the nutritional needs of specific groups. These products must be registered with Anvisa, as determined by law, and must only be used under prescription by a qualified health professional, such as a pediatrician or nutritionist.
Infant formulas can be classified as foods intended for feeding infants (0 to 6 months of age) and/or follow-up foods for infants (6 to 12 months of age) and/or young children (1 to 3 years of age).
Regularization of infant formulas
Infant formulas are foods that require registration with Anvisa before they can be imported, manufactured, sold or dispensed. Consumers should be careful and only purchase products with a known origin.
The product label must inform the registration number. To confirm the product registration, Anvisa suggests a query the database available on the agency’s portal.
Use safely
The agency asks that consumers only use infant formulas under the guidance of a qualified health professional, such as a pediatrician or nutritionist. The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding until two years of age or older and exclusively until six months of age.
It is important to read all the preparation instructions on the label. Properly cleaning utensils that come into contact with the formula, such as bottles, cups and spoons, is also essential to ensure the safety of the product.
The agency also warns that dilution should be done in the appropriate quantity, as informed by the manufacturer, and at a safe temperature (70ºC), which guarantees the lowest risk of contamination by dangerous microorganisms, such as bacteria of the genus Cronobacter and Salmonella.
Adverse events
According to Anvisa, adverse events related to the use of infant formulas must be reported to the responsible company, according to the contact information available on the product label, and can be notified to Anvisa.
Reporting of adverse events related to the consumption of processed foods, including infant formulas, must be carried out in specific form.
Who can report a problem?
Any citizen, consumer, manufacturer, health professional or responsible company can report suspected irregularities involving the safety of processed foods, including infant formulas.
Data for notification
To report a suspected adverse event related to the consumption of processed foods, it is important to inform the name of the product, the brand, the manufacturer, the batch, the date of manufacture, the expiration date or period and the registration number (if applicable).
It is possible to attach image documents to the notification form, for example, a photo of the product, the label or the product packaging. In addition, it is important to describe in detail the adverse events presented.
