Wal-Mart has taken a batch of Enfamil powdered infant formula off store shelves nationwide out of “an abundance of caution” after a newborn baby in Missouri died of a bacteria infection after he was fed the product.
No recall has been ordered for the formula, which is 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn Powder, lot number ZP1K7G. The manufacturer, Mead Johnson Nutrition, tested the lot for bacteria before it was shipped and claims it tested negative. The company has re-tested that lot and tests were negative.
The formula was purchased at a Wal-Mart store in Lebanon, Missouri. Late last week, 10-day-old Avery Cornett was hospitalized after appearing to develop a stomachache and showing signs of lethargy. Tests at St. John’s Hospital-Springfield revealed he was infected with Cronobacter sakazakii, a rare bacteria. He died on Sunday, December 18, 2011.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) said that samples of the formula were sent to the USDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing. If the samples test negative, the product may go back on the shelves for retail sale. The MDHSS will also test the water used to prepare the formula and other foods and liquids the baby may have eaten.
If you have purchased cans of that particular batch of Enfamil formula, you can return them to the store for a refund. For questions, call 1-800-222-9123.
