If you feed your baby powdered formula, a headline about lead in an infant formula is the kind of thing that stops you cold. You trusted that product. You measured out every scoop. And now you’re lying awake wondering whether something you gave your child to help them grow could have hurt them instead. That fear is real, and you deserve straight answers instead of panic.
So here’s the short version. In late July 2026, health authorities in Macao and Hong Kong ordered a recall of one batch of Frisolac Prestige infant formula after testing found lead at a level roughly ten times the legal limit. The manufacturer disputes those results. Below, we’ll walk through what actually happened, what the science says about lead and babies, and what your options are if a contaminated formula has hurt your child.
What happened in the Frisolac Prestige recall?
A single batch of Frisolac Prestige Infant Formula Stage 1 (800g) was pulled from shelves after government testing in Macao found lead above food safety standards. The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) and the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF) said they were “highly concerned,” and they urged parents to stop using the product right away and get medical help if their infant seemed unwell after using it.
The product is made in the Netherlands by FrieslandCampina, the company behind the Friso brand. After Macao raised the alarm, Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety confirmed the same batch had been imported there too, and told the importer to start a recall.
FrieslandCampina has pushed back hard. The company says its own third-party testing showed the batch complies with Hong Kong and Macao standards, that lead isn’t used anywhere in its manufacturing, and that it’s in “technical discussions” with regulators about how the testing was done. So this powdered infant formula recall is being contested. But the recall itself is real, and the warnings to parents still stand.
What batch of Frisolac Prestige formula is affected?
The recall covers Frisolac Prestige Infant Formula Stage 1, in the 800-gram size, batch number 1W07KPJ, with a production date of September 30, 2025 and an expiry date of September 30, 2027. If you’ve got this product at home, stop using it and hang onto the can, the lid, the receipt, and any leftover formula. Those things can matter a lot down the road if your child was harmed.
One reassuring detail: officials said the affected batch was never supplied to hospitals, and expanded testing of formulas on the market hasn’t turned up any other products over the limit so far.
How much lead was found, and what’s the legal limit?.
Testing found lead at 0.2 mg/kg, or about 200 parts per billion. The maximum allowed level for formula intended for infants and young children is 0.02 mg/kg, or about 20 parts per billion. That’s roughly ten times over the line.
That limit applies in the Hong Kong and Macao markets where the recall happened. Here in the United States, the picture is different, and honestly, it’s frustrating for parents. The FDA’s “Closer to Zero” initiative set action levels for lead in a lot of baby foods, somewhere between 10 and 20 parts per billion for things like purees and dry infant cereals. But infant formula was left out of those guidelines, even though formula makes up around a quarter of a baby’s total dietary lead exposure. The one thing every major health authority does agree on is this: there is no known safe level of lead for a child.
Can lead in infant formula cause permanent harm to a baby?
Yes. Lead is a neurotoxin, and long-term or high-level exposure in infants can cause permanent neurological damage, developmental delays, and lasting effects on how a child’s brain develops. Babies are especially at risk because their bodies and brains are growing so fast, and they absorb lead far more easily than adults do.
The hard part is that lead poisoning often doesn’t show obvious signs early on. When symptoms do appear, they can look like irritability, poor appetite, low energy, developmental delays, or trouble feeding, but plenty of affected children seem perfectly fine at first. That’s exactly why officials told families who used the recalled batch to have their infants checked by a doctor. If you think your child drank a contaminated formula, a simple blood lead test through your pediatrician is the right first move.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Please talk with your child’s doctor about any health concerns.
Do I have a legal claim if a contaminated formula hurt my child?
If a defective or contaminated product injures your child, you may have the right to hold the manufacturer accountable. When a company puts something unsafe on the market, the families it harms can pursue a defective infant formula claim to cover things like medical monitoring, treatment costs, and the long-term impact on a child’s health and future.
We want to be honest with you about this particular recall. The Frisolac Prestige batch was recalled in Macao and Hong Kong, not through a U.S. recall, so the specifics of any individual case really matter: where the product was bought, which batch it was, and what harm came of it. Every situation is different, and no honest lawyer can promise you an outcome. What we can do is listen, look at your facts, and tell you plainly whether you may have a case.
Ethen Ostroff Law is Pennsylvania’s Injury Firm. We serve families across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and we work with a nationwide network of referral partners for product cases like these. Whether you need an infant formula recall lawyer to look at a possible claim, or a baby formula lead injury attorney to fight for your child, one team will stand with you from the very first call.
What should parents do right now?
If you have the recalled batch, stop using it today and keep the packaging. Ask your pediatrician about a blood lead test if your baby used it. Keep an eye out for the symptoms above, but don’t wait for symptoms before you reach out for guidance. And save everything, from receipts to cans to medical notes, because that documentation is what protects your child’s rights later.
You didn’t do anything wrong here. You were feeding your baby. If a company’s product caused harm, that’s on them, not on you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. In late July 2026, authorities in Macao and Hong Kong recalled a batch of Frisolac Prestige after testing found excessive lead. Macao’s IAM and ISAF, along with Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety, directed the product to be pulled from sale. The manufacturer, FrieslandCampina, disputes the results and says its own testing showed the batch was compliant, but the recall and the public warnings are still in place.
The recall covers Frisolac Prestige Infant Formula Stage 1, the 800-gram size, batch number 1W07KPJ, with a production date of September 30, 2025 and an expiry date of September 30, 2027. If you have this batch, stop using it and keep the can, lid, and receipt.
Testing found lead at 0.2 mg/kg, about 200 parts per billion. That’s roughly ten times the maximum allowed level of 0.02 mg/kg (20 parts per billion) for infant and young-child formula in the markets where the recall happened.
In the Hong Kong and Macao markets tied to this recall, the maximum is 0.02 mg/kg (20 parts per billion). In the United States, the FDA’s “Closer to Zero” action levels (10 to 20 ppb) apply to many baby foods but don’t currently cover infant formula. Health authorities agree there is no known safe level of lead exposure for a child.
Yes. Lead is a neurotoxin, and exposure in infants can cause permanent neurological injury, developmental delays, and harm to brain development. Early lead poisoning often has no obvious symptoms, so a pediatrician’s blood lead test is the safest way to check a baby who used a recalled product.
If your baby may have been harmed, talk to us for free
You deserve to know your options. If you think your child was exposed to a contaminated or defective infant formula, Ethen Ostroff Law offers a free, no-pressure consultation, and you pay no fees unless we win. Our team will review the facts, explain what a defective infant formula claim could look like, and point you toward the right resources, whether that’s in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or through our nationwide referral network.
Call Ethen Ostroff Law at 610-510-8883 or request your free case review. Justice For All. That’s our promise.
