Two agencies in Macao have expressed major concern after findings of lead in infant formula.
The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) was notified by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF) that the amount of lead in a sample of Frisolac Prestige infant formula exceeded food safety standards.
IAM and ISAF said they were “highly concerned” about the incident and urged the public to stop using the product and to seek medical assistance as soon as possible if their infants showed discomfort after consumption of the product. Long term excessive exposure to lead in children can cause neurological impairment and affect brain development.
The affected formula is Frisolac Prestige Infant Formula Stage 1, with a net weight of 800-grams. The batch concerned is 1W07KPJ with production date Sept. 30, 2025, and expiry date Sept. 30, 2027.
This batch has not been supplied to hospitals but industry has been told to remove it from sale, issue a recall and stop selling it. Testing of formulas on the market has increased but no additional non-compliant products have been found.
Producer’s tests show compliance
The amount of lead detected in the product was 0.2mg/kg, which exceeds the maximum limit of 0.02mg/kg in formula products for infants and young children.
FrieslandCampina said in response to the alert issued by authorities in Macao, additional third-party testing on the affected batch showed the product complies with Hong Kong and Maca0 standards. The company added that lead is not used in the manufacturing process.
"The safety and quality of all our products are our highest priority. This commitment applies especially to our infant and young child nutrition products, as they are intended for a particularly vulnerable consumer group. All Friso products are subject to rigorous quality and safety testing before entering the market and must comply with the regulatory requirements and food safety standards of the markets in which they are sold. We understand that this matter may raise questions among consumers. We take these concerns seriously. If consumers have any enquiries, they can contact us through the local customer service for assistance.
"We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities in Macao and are engaging with them in technical discussions regarding the testing methodology, technical standards, and underlying data to better understand the reported findings."
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong also warned about consuming the powdered infant formula. A preliminary investigation confirmed the product had been imported into Hong Kong.
“The importer concerned has also arranged testing on two samples of the same batch, and the results showed that they complied with the standards of Hong Kong and Macao. For the sake of prudence, the importer concerned has already stopped sales and removed the affected product from shelves, and the CFS has instructed the importer to initiate a recall of the affected batch of product,” said a CFS spokesman.
CFS has been testing powdered infant and young children formula samples from retail outlets as part of its Food Surveillance Programme. From 2023 to June 2026, CFS collected 2,000 samples for chemical and microbiological testing, including lead content. No unsatisfactory samples for lead were found.
The Department of Health urged the public to immediately stop using the implicated batch of powdered infant formula, and to observe the health of infants who have consumed it.
The agency has set up a telephone hotline to answer public enquiries relating to the health conditions of infants and the switching of formula.
