The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday cautioned people to avoid select Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powdered infant formulas due to potential contamination with Cronobacter, a type of bacteria that can cause severe food-borne illness.
The recall impacts formula produced in Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility and those with the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; the code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2; the expiration date is April 1, 2022, or later. The codes are located near the expiration date on the product packaging.
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Four children were hospitalized and one baby died of bacterial infections, and an investigation into the source of the bacteria is ongoing. The infections were found in Texas, Ohio and Minnesota, the FDA said in a news release. They also noted that “Parents and caregivers of infants who have used these products, and are concerned about the health of their child, should contact their child’s health care provider.”
Three infections stemmed from Cronobacter, a bacteria that can cause severe, life-threatening infections or inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spine. The third infection was from Salmonella, a group of bacteria that can cause digestive illness and fever.
However, “During testing in our Sturgis, Mich., facility, we found evidence of Cronobacter sakazakii in the plant in non-product contact areas. We found no evidence of Salmonella Newport,” Abbott Nutrition said in a news release. “Importantly, no distributed product has tested positive for the presence of either of these bacteria, and we continue to test.”
This news comes at a bad time—the US is facing a shortage of baby formula due to challenges across the supply chains, including impacts on transportation, labor and logistics. According to market research firm IRI, stores’ infant formula inventories in mid-January were down 17% from where they were in mid-February 2020, just before the pandemic hit US shores.
—Shelley Massey
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