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So, Helena, are you popular over at the FDA?

Oh, that's a tough question. Um, I thought you were going to laugh.

Um, it's a mix. I think it's mixed.

I do sometimes joke that I won't be allowed back in there. Back in the building. Oh, we'll see.

They still take my calls, so.

Helena Bonemiller-Evitch writes about food policy for a digital publication she founded called Food Fix.

So, it makes sense that she's got the Food and Drug Administration on speed dial. Even though inside the agency she says, there's this joke that the F in FDA is silent.

Well, you know, FDA is so big in that it covers like something like 20% of consumer spending, right?

So, it's drugs, it's medical devices, it's microwaves and cosmetics. Food is a much lower priority issue at FDA.

And that's just, that's just the truth of the matter.

Is baby formula considered food? Yes, it is considered food.

Baby formula, particularly the baby formula shortage, is one of the reasons.

So, Helena worries the FDA is not exactly thrilled to hear from her. She's covered the chain of decisions leading up to the shortage with meticulous care.

And this might surprise you, but Helena says this formula shortage is still going on.

When I go to my Safeway on Capitol Hill here in Washington, the supply looks kind of like half, half-ish stocked. And that's not normal.

And we're, what, seven months into this? That's not normal. And I really don't know when it's going to return to normal. I think probably it's going to be next year in 2023.

I don't, I really have doubts about it returning to normal this winter.

As Helena waits out the shortage, she's also been waiting on this report, an explanation from the FDA about how a single plant in Sturge's Michigan, first might have sicken babies.

And then, when the government tried to clean things up, triggered a nationwide run on infant formula. A couple weeks back, this report finally came out.

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