The formula will be distributed in areas of the country where there is an urgent need, an employee of the Biden administration told CNN earlier.
The shipment includes 132 pallets with formula, which arrived with one C-17 cargo plane. The formula originated in Zurich, Switzerland, and was transported by truck to Germany, where it was loaded on a C-17 and flown to the United States.
An employee of the Biden administration told CNN earlier that the product contained in the first shipment will be distributed to hospitals, doctors, home health facilities and pharmacies in regions “where the needs are most acute.”
The official said that none of the first shipments will land on store shelves in the United States, adding that formula milk sent on Sunday is hypoallergenic and will be fed to babies with protein intolerance in cow’s milk.
The aircraft transports pallets with Nestlé Health Science formula – including Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior. Arriving in Indianapolis on Sunday, a Nestlé spokesman said: “Some cases are ready for distribution in the next few days. Others will be released into the supply chain after the completion of standard quality tests. “
The shipment is coming because the lack of baby formula has caused great embarrassment and frustration for some desperate American families. Some families have already begun to limit the supply of formula, while others have turned to hospitals when they cannot find the type they need. And in clear sign of the profound effects of the crisis, a doctor at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, said last week that he had admitted two young patients – a young child and a preschooler – because of the special formula they need. is not in stock and they could not tolerate any replacements.President Joe Biden earlier highlighted the first flight of his baby formula administration’s air transport operation on Twitter. “People, I’m excited to tell you that the first flight of Operation Fly Formula is loaded with more than 70,000 pounds of baby food and is about to land in Indiana. “Our team works around the clock to provide safe formula for everyone who needs it,” Biden said on Twitter. National Economic Council Director Brian Deez told CNN’s Dana Bash on the state of the Union on Sunday that as part of the air transport operation, more baby formula flights will come earlier this week. ”
“We will continue to increase this until we get there,” Deese said.
Pressed by Bash for how the United States found itself in a situation where baby milk should be transported by air in the country, Deez partly blamed the consolidation of the market.
“This goes back to the question of how we can bring more competition into our economy, have more suppliers have this formula, so that no single company has so much control over supply chains,” he said.
A Biden administration official told CNN earlier that the product came from a factory that had already passed US FDA approval – meaning U.S. inspectors would only have to conduct “on-site inspections” on Sunday after the product lands. These inspections include ensuring that the product is not damaged during transport and has an appropriate label. An FDA inspector is on site to conduct an on-site inspection. Separately, Nestlé will conduct its own quality inspection on its local distribution website.
From Indianapolis, FedEx partners will help with sorting and distribution, the official said.
The Biden administration is also engaged in talks with manufacturers of another European baby formula to approve and receive redundant supplies for distribution in the United States, the administration official told CNN.
Indianapolis was chosen as the place to arrive for the formula because it is home to Nestlé’s distribution site. The official added that the administration is joining the existing distribution chain.
“We are turning the two-week process into 72 hours,” the official said.
This story and title have been updated.
CNN’s Fosham, Brenda Goodman, Nadia Kunang and Jen Christensen contributed to this report.
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