President Donald Trump’s administration is conducting a full-scale crackdown on baby formula as it puts under scrutiny the link between Chinese labs and the U.S. food and beverage supply.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and lawmakers on Capitol Hill are sounding the alarm and plan to demand full disclosure on the extent of links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and U.S.-funded labs.
Specifically, HHS officials tell the Daily Mail they are worried that Chinese intelligence already has access to a slew of information on DNA and biometrics because companies with this data are operating in China.
Sources said concerns are growing within the government over China’s effort to expand their footprint when it comes to accessing Americans’ data and researching or producing food and beverages that are sold in the U.S.
That includes research on infant stools which means babies’ DNA could be accessed by Chinese intelligence.
‘If the Chinese are testing baby formula and the impact on babies, then they are acquiring DNA to do it,’ an official with HHS told Daily Mail.
Another top concern among Trump administration officials are the federal grants that could be funding the foreign labs, universities and institutions that have access to this data.
Insiders at HHS, the FBI and on Capitol Hill claim companies with facilities in China are subjecting all of their information to interception by Chinese intelligence.
‘Any company operating in China is subject to the Chinese Communist Party’s intelligence laws, which require full cooperation with their surveillance apparatus,’ Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) told the Daily Mail.
President Donald Trump’s administration is cracking down on the ingredients and suppliers of baby formula to U.S. markets – and sounding the alarm on companies with factories in China
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced next steps in Operation Stork Speed to evaluate ingredients in infant formula. Pictured: President Trump and Secretary Kennedy attend an executive order signing on bringing down the price of prescription drugs on May 12
The former Army intelligence officer and now U.S. lawmaker said: ‘That means the CCP can access sensitive data, trade secrets, or personal information at any time – no warrant, no oversight, no transparency. It’s not a question of if they have access – they do.’
‘It’s the price of doing business with the CCP,’ Hamadeh concluded.
As the Trump administration increases scrutiny and oversight on food supply chains and those who do business in the U.S. and with countries of concern, Congress is preparing to call out specific companies.
Two people close to Capitol Hill and familiar with upcoming action tell Daily Mail that multiple congressional committees are sending letters as early as next week demanding information on the extent of cooperation and partnership with the CCP.
One company that’s getting a letter is the multinational food and beverage company Danone, which owns some well-known brands like Activia yogurt; International Delight coffee creamer; plant-based milk Silk; and Evian water.
Danone has an infant formula plant in Qingdao, China and in the summer of 2020 opened a research and development lab at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University to study human milk biology, gut health and infant nutrition and stool.
A spokesperson for the company told Daily Mail that any baby formula manufactured in China is not sold in the U.S.
‘What people don’t realize is that even if the formula is made in China, the data and biological material—sometimes including DNA—is often collected through international studies and transferred through research partnerships,’ an HHS source said.
‘Companies like Danone, which run trials in Chinese hospitals and partner with state-linked universities, are effectively creating a pipeline where sensitive infant health data can flow straight into the hands of the Chinese government,’ they told Daily Mail.
Essentially, members of Trump’s team and lawmakers on Capitol Hill are worried that if Danone has Americans’ biometric data as part of its studies that this information could be compromised by CCP intelligence since the company has a lab on Chinese soil.
However, Danone insists it does not share any data with the CCP.
‘Danone U.S. does not share biometric data with China nor does Danone sell infant formulas manufactured in China in the U.S.,’ a Danone spokesperson said when reached for comment.
The spokesperson added: ‘Danone’s U.S. and China businesses operate wholly independently of each other.’
Some sources say they are worried that while U.S. companies may not be intentionally sharing data while operating in China, there may be ways that the CCP could access information through backdoor channels.
Asked about this tactic, FBI spokesperson Erica Knight told the Daily Mail: ‘Director [Kash] Patel has long recognized the national security threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party.’
‘His commitment to safeguarding America’s supply chains and critical infrastructure – and above all, protecting our children – will always remain a top priority,’ she added.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a statement on Tuesday on the next steps in his so-called Operation Stork Speed, which aims to ensure safety and nutritional adequacy of infant formula.
It’s the latest action taken in closely examining what is in the food and beverages sold to Americans – but specifically focuses on formulas available in the U.S. for infant consumption.
‘Every child has a fundamental right to a healthy start,’ RFK Jr. said in a statement on the latest action. ‘We’re giving parents the truth and the tools to make that happen.’
Congress will call out companies with factories in China and any links to the CCP. Pictured: Boxes of infant formula are stacked at a warehouse in Qingdao, China
The Food and Drug Administration issued a Request for Information to begin the nutrient review process for baby formula – something that has not been done in the U.S. since 1998.
The FDA will determine based on the information it received if existing nutrient requirements for formulas need to be revised to come into line with the latest scientific data.
Jillian Anderson with Moms for America says that many families are buying their formula from Europe because they are worried about the ingredients and origin of the products available in the U.S.
‘I’ve been paying more to get safe quality formula imported regularly from Europe for over two years.’ Anderson told the Daily Mail.
Many parents aren’t pleased with how formulas in the U.S. market often include as a primary ingredient forms of corn syrup solids, which has sparked debate over obesity and diabetes concerns in children.
Additionally, criticism has emerged over the use of seed oils often found in formula due to the high omega-6 content. The FDA has so far deemed these safe, but RFK Jr. is a proponent for the decrease in use of seed oils and lauded Steak n Shake earlier this year for switching to cooking with 100 percent beef tallow.
FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary released a statement on his agency’s ‘moral duty’ and ‘responsibility’ to protect the ‘most vulnerable’ Americans.
‘For many children, infant formula is their only source of nutrition,’ Makary said in his Tuesday statement. ‘That’s why it’s absolutely crucial to continually assess the nutrition standards and incorporate gold standard science to ensure we are providing the safest, most effective nutrition possible.’
The FDA will convene an expert panel on the topic next month, HHS announced.
