Why European formula? How EU standards compare to North America and the Middle East

Updated 3 months ago

Why parents worldwide choose European formula

My Organic Formula ships European organic baby formula to families in Canada, the Middle East, Australia and beyond. One question we hear often is: why go through the effort of importing formula from Europe when local options are available?

The short answer is regulation. The standards behind European organic formula — what must be in it, what is banned, and how the animals and crops that produce it must be raised — are significantly stricter than those in North America or the Middle East. Here is what that means in practice.

What EU regulations require

All baby formula sold in the European Union — organic or not — must comply with EU infant nutrition legislation enforced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). For organic formula specifically, this means:

• A minimum of 95% organically produced ingredients
• No GMOs at any stage of production
• No synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers
• No growth hormones or antibiotics in animals
• No corn syrup, sucrose or refined sweeteners
• No artificial preservatives or synthetic additives
• Regular independent inspections and audits of farms and production facilities

How this compares to North America

In Canada, baby formula is regulated by Health Canada under the Food and Drugs Act. In the United States, formula is regulated by the FDA. Both frameworks require that formula meets basic nutritional standards — but neither imposes the same restrictions on ingredients that EU regulations do.

Key differences for parents in North America:

• Corn syrup and sucrose — permitted in North American formula, including organic-labelled products. Banned in EU formula.
• GMOs — permitted in conventional North American formula. Prohibited in all EU organic formula.
• Organic standard — USDA Organic requires 95% organic ingredients, but does not impose the same restrictions on synthetic processing aids or additives that EU regulations do. Canadian organic standards follow a similar framework.
• Farming practices — EU regulations and certifications like Demeter and Bioland require biodynamic farming practices and strict animal welfare standards that go significantly beyond what North American organic certification demands.

How this compares to the Middle East

Formula regulations in the Middle East vary by country and are generally less prescriptive than EU standards when it comes to organic certification and ingredient restrictions. Most countries in the region follow Codex Alimentarius guidelines — an international framework developed by the WHO and FAO — which sets minimum nutritional requirements but does not prohibit the use of additives, sweeteners or GMOs in the way EU law does.

For parents in the Middle East, European organic formula offers a clear alternative: a product produced under independently verified standards, free from the ingredients that Codex permits but EU law bans, and sourced from farms with a traceable, certified supply chain.

Is European formula safe to import?

Yes. All formulas at My Organic Formula are produced in compliance with EU infant nutrition legislation and are shipped directly from our warehouse in the Netherlands. My Organic Formula has been supplying European organic formula to families in Canada, the Middle East and beyond since 2016, and all products meet the nutritional requirements of the countries we ship to.

If you have specific questions about formula regulations in your country, we recommend consulting your paediatrician.