In January, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state had tested 24 infant formula products available for sale locally. The results, he claimed, revealed elevated levels of heavy metals, such as mercury, in 16 of the products tested. DeSantis said the state was stepping up “to protect” the most vulnerable in Florida, and that it was working with federal partners to “drive accountability and give families more options.”
This testing program was part of an initiative called Healthy Florida First, which aligned with Florida’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. An estimated $5 million was added to Florida’s 2026-2027 budget proposal to test for contaminants and ensure safer food and household products for Floridians.
