Abbott Nutrition Recalls Baby Formula After Risk of Contamination

2022-05-14 17:25:16 By : Ms. Lucky Tong

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Four babies have fallen ill so far, prompting a product recall.

If you’ve recently purchased powdered infant formula for your baby, you may want to double-check the label. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers not to purchase certain powdered infant formula from Abbott Nutrition due to contamination concerns, per a news release from Thursday.

Abbott has also issued a voluntary recall of the products after customers submitted complaints about three infants contracting Cronobacter sakazakii and one with Salmonella after consuming powder infant formula from this facility, according to a press release from Abbott.

The products include Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare manufactured in the Sturgis, Michigan facility. The products under recall have numbers printed on the bottom of the container starting with the first two digits 22 through 37, contain K8, SH, or Z2, and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022, or after. You can confirm the lot number on Abbott’s website or call 1-800-986-8540.

If you have already consumed the product, no action is necessary. The recall does not include the metabolic deficiency nutrition formulas or liquid formulas and it does not impact powder formulas from other manufacturing facilities, according to the press release.

According to the release, Abbott performs routine testing in their facilities for pathogens like Cronobacter sakazakii. During a recent check, Cronobacter sakazakii was found in the Michigan plant “in non-product contact areas,” but they did not find evidence of the Salmonella.

Samples consumed by the three infants who contracted Cronobacter sakazakii have tested negative for the pathogen, and the sample consumed by the infant who contracted Salmonella Newport has tested negative for Salmonella, according to the press release. Though Abbott continues to test, the pathogens have not yet been found in finished products distributed to the public as of today.

"We know parents depend on us to provide them with the highest quality nutrition formulas," Joe Manning, executive vice president of nutritional products at Abbott said in the press release. "We're taking this action so parents know they can trust us to meet our high standards, as well as theirs. We deeply regret the concern and inconvenience this situation will cause parents, caregivers, and health care professionals."

Cronobacter sakazaki is a group of bacteria that exist in the environment, especially in very dry conditions like powdered infant formula, skimmed milk powder, and herbal tea, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Illness from this bacteria is very rare but can be fatal and serious in infants, immunocompromised, and the elderly.

Infants who consume the Cronobacter sakazaki bacteria may experience fever, poor feeding, excessive crying, or low energy, according to Abbott’s press release. In more serious illnesses, infants may experience seizures, sepsis, or severe meningitis, which may lead to brain abscesses or infarcts, hydrocephalus, or other serious long-term neurological problems. Though only two to four infections are reported in babies every year, the infant mortality rate for Cronobacter meningitis is estimated as high as 40%, according to the CDC.

Cronobacter infections are diagnosed by laboratory culture. If an infant has Crosonacter sepsis or meningitis, they should be taken to a hospital for additional testing to determine the severity of the illness and for treatment. There have been no confirmed reports that Cronobacter infections can spread through person-to-person contact.

Salmonella was most notably in the news when a mystery salmonella outbreak later linked to red onions sickened hundreds of people in 43 states. The pathogen lives in the stomachs of animals, and humans can get the infection by petting an infected animal, scooping their pet’s poop and then touching their mouth or food, eating dairy or meat products from an infected animal, or eating produce that has been contaminated. The CDC estimates about 1.35 million Americans are infected with salmonella every year.

If someone contracts salmonella, they’ll likely experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain that develops between six hours and six days after ingesting the bacteria. It is typically diagnosed with stool testing and treated with antibiotics or simply IV fluids to treat dehydration.