With the development of the market economy and the progress of the special food industry, more and more infant formula milk powder and special medical purpose infant formula food are entering people's lives. Faced with a wide range of brands and varieties, how can consumers avoid falling into the trap of choosing "rations" for their babies? Recently, a reporter from China Consumer Daily interviewed the heads of relevant departments of the Shandong Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau on this topic, explaining the differences between infant formula food and special medical purpose infant formula food, to help everyone better find the right "rations" for babies. The definition and purpose of the two are different. Staff from the Special Food Department of the Shandong Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau stated in an interview with China Consumer Daily that infant formula milk powder is mainly made from milk and milk protein products (milk based) and/or soy and soy protein products (soy based), with an appropriate amount of vitamins, minerals, and/or other raw materials added, and only produced by physical methods. Special medical infant formula refers to powdered or liquid formula designed to meet the nutritional needs of infants with special medical conditions such as disorders, diseases, or medical conditions. This type of product needs to be consumed alone or in combination with other foods under the guidance of a doctor or clinical nutritionist, and its energy and nutritional composition can meet the growth and development needs of infants with special medical conditions from 0 to 6 months old. During the interview, Ms. Zhang, who was purchasing infant formula at a large supermarket in Jinan, Shandong, told reporters that she did not actually understand what formula milk powder was or what special medical purpose infant formula food was. She mainly listened to what others said or saw some advertising, often buying a small amount for the child to eat first, and continued to buy if the child was still eating well. Nowadays, there are too many similar products in major supermarkets, making it difficult to distinguish between good and bad. Only by using them appropriately can one know whether they are good or not. Especially for infant formula foods for special medical purposes, they should be purchased under the guidance of a doctor, so they should be sold in hospitals. Supermarkets and their sales personnel may not necessarily understand the relevant professional knowledge. Who is responsible in case of any problems when eating them? "Ms. Zhang said. The execution standards and applicable age classification of infant formula milk powder are different. According to the different applicable age, the execution standards are divided into "Infant Formula" (GB10765-2022), "Older Infant Formula" (GB10766-2022), and "Preschool Formula" (GB10767-2022). The 2022 version of the new national standard for infant formula milk powder has been officially implemented since February 22, 2023. In order to further ensure the nutritional safety and adequacy of products, the new national standard has revised or added the minimum and maximum values of nutrient content in products. The executive standard for infant formula food for special medical purposes is the "National Food Safety Standard General Rules for Infant Formula Food for Special Medical Purposes" (GB25596-2010). Infant formula milk powder is generally divided into the following three categories based on the applicable age: infant formula milk powder (stage 1) is suitable for infants aged 0-6 months; Older infant formula (Stage 2) is suitable for older infants aged 6-12 months; Preschool formula milk powder (3 stages) is suitable for children aged 12-36 months. Infant formula for special medical purposes