The White House also outlined measures the administration is taking to address the issue and said it was considering invoking the Defense Production Act.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration will announce new steps in the coming days regarding importing certain infant formula products from abroad, the White House said, and Biden has asked the Federal Trade Commission to probe reports of predatory conduct such as price gouging.
During his meeting with the executives, Biden discussed efforts to increase production and urged companies to "do more to help families purchase infant formula," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said. "What we are seeing, which is an enormous problem, is hoarding," Psaki said. "That is also something we're focused on."
Biden later said on Twitter, "I'm announcing new actions and working with the private sector to get infant formula into stores as quickly as possible without compromising safety."in February recalled Similac and other baby formula made at its Sturgis, Michigan, plant following consumer complaints of bacterial contamination. The FDA later cited five bacterial infections reported in babies given the company's formula, including two deaths.