Iran to Implement Nat’l Program to Complete Production Chain of Regular Infant Formula

The program which is due to be implemented with the participation of the Headquarters for the Development of Science and Technology of Biology and Stem Cells, the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, the Innovation and Prosperity Fund, the Ministry of Health, Medical Education and the National Planning and Budget Organization is aimed at completing the production chain of regulator infant formula.

To achieve this national goal, the Innovation and Prosperity Fund has announced that it will directly invest in the completion of production infrastructure with qualified applicants. Companies and activists who apply for this joint investment must meet a set of conditions. These conditions include having a legal entity active in the field of producing the above or similar products in the dairy, pharmaceutical or health industries and having production infrastructure or being ready to invest quickly to develop infrastructure.

Infant formula, also called baby formula, is an ultra-processed food designed and marketed for feeding to babies and infants under 12 months of age, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding from powder (mixed with water) or liquid (with or without additional water). The U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) defines infant formula as "a food which purports to be or is represented for special dietary use solely as a food for infants by reason of its simulation of human milk or its suitability as a complete or partial substitute for human milk".

Manufacturers state that the composition of infant formula is designed to be roughly based on a human mother's milk at approximately one to three months postpartum; however, there are significant differences in the nutrient content of these products.

In a relevant development in 2024, Iranian researchers at an industrial company active in making dairy products had also indigenized two raw materials for production of milk powder.

“At present, we are producing the basic raw materials of infant formula and we have been able to produce nearly 80% of the raw materials of the milk powder inside the country,” said Bahram Mehrdad, the production supervisor of the company.

“We have been able to produce and indigenize the two main ingredients of milk powder, namely baby skimmed milk powder and 90% demineral powder, which is known as D90 in industry. D90 constitutes about 50% of infant formula and skimmed milk constitutes about 20%-30% of infant formula,” he added.

Noting that the products are based on the national and international standards, Mehrdad said, “We are expanding our equipment so that we can supply most of the raw materials for milk powder production to the Iranian companies.”

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