The role of the Food and Drug Administration in regulating food products for children.

The United States food supply is regulated by a series of laws administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. The most important of these laws are the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act administered by the Food and Drug Administration and the Meat and Poultry Inspection Act administered by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. These laws have general requirements for food safety and quality that apply to all foods in the marketplace. In addition, the FD&C Act and implementing regulations have major provisions that apply specifically to food for infants and children. These provisions set high standards for safety and quality that are consistent with the special needs of these segments of the population due to demands of growth and development. The FDA places increased emphasis on monitoring food for infants and children for compliance with these laws and regulations. Although foods designed specifically for infants and children make up a small portion of the total food supply, proportionally more resources are dedicated to inspection and analysis of these foods.