According to an Associate Press article, the FDA has found traces of Melamine, the substance that left 50,000 children sick and three dead in China, in popular brands of infant formula in the United States.  The FDA urges parents not to switch their child’s formula, but also admits that there is no level of melamine found to be safe for infants.

Here are some of the results from the tests:

“According to FDA data for tests of 77 infant formula samples, a trace concentration of melamine was detected in one product — Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. An FDA spreadsheet shows two tests were conducted on the Enfamil, with readings of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.

Three tests of Nestle’s Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected an average of 0.247 parts per million of cyanuric acid, a melamine byproduct.

The FDA said last month that the toxicity of cyanuric acid is under study, but that meanwhile it is “prudent” to assume that its potency is equal to that of melamine.

And while the FDA said tests of 18 samples of formula made by Abbott Laboratories, including its Similac brand, did not detect melamine, spokesman Colin McBean said some company tests did find the chemical. He did not identify the specific product or the number of positive tests.

McBean did say the detections were at levels far below the health limits set by all countries in the world, including Taiwan, where the limit is 0.05 parts per million.”

If you’re feeding your infant formula and are concerned, you should do some research and talk with your pediatrician about any diet changes you decide to make.

Here are a few articles to help you start your research:

The Daily Green - Breast is Best, But What’s Next?

Barf Blog - Sugar content in one organic brand may be a jump start to obesity

Organic Consumer’s Association - Infant formula marketing gimmick linked to illness

EWG - Guide to Safe Baby Bottles and Formula