Hong Kong parents rush babies for check-ups over infant formula lead scare

Mother tells SCMP that her five-month-old baby is in hospital for observation after consuming Friso batch flagged by Macau authorities

Worried Hong Kong parents who bought Friso, a popular powdered infant formula brand, are taking their children for medical check-ups after a batch of the product was found to contain excessive levels of lead.

One mother told the South China Morning Post on Tuesday that her five-month-old baby was staying in hospital for observation after the child consumed the same batch of Frisolac Prestige Stage 1 (800 grams) flagged by Macau authorities.

The affected batch, numbered 1W07KPJ, is intended for infants aged up to six months old. The manufacturer has stressed that additional third-party testing confirmed the affected batch complied with Hong Kong and Macau standards

After Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety requested a recall on Saturday, parents who used the brand’s other formula products also expressed concern and asked for advice on alternatives.

Some parents who bought the brand’s products expressed their concerns on social media platforms.

“Even if I switch to a new formula, how do I know that brand is safe? Would that one be the next affected product?” a Threads user wrote.