Enfamil Nutramigen A+ LGG Infant Formula is being recalled in Canada for possible Cronobacter contamination. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with the consumption of the product. The recalling firm is Mead Johnson Nutrition (Canada) Company. Food contaminated with cronobacter can cause serious illness in infants. It is associated with necrotizing enterocolitis and blood poisoning (sepsis), especially in newborns. This product was sold nationally at the retail level. The recalled product is Enfamil Nutramigen A+ LCC Hypoallergenic infant formula that is sold in 561 gram cans. The UPC number that is stamped on the label is 0 56796 00498 2. The item number for the product is 3230626. The expiration date is 01-JA-2025. And the batch number for the … [Read more...]
Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Infant Formula Recalled For Cronobacter
Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Infant Formula is being voluntarily recalled for possible Cronobacter contamination. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with the consumption of this product. The recalling firm is Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition. The brand name is Enfamil. Cronobacter can cause severe, life-threatening infections or meningitis in infants. Symptoms of this infection can include poor feeding, temperature changes, irritability, jaundice, grunting breaths and abnormal movements. The recalled product is Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Infant Formula powder that is packaged in 12.6 and 19.8 ounce cans. The batch numbers of this recalled infant formula are ZL3FRW, ZL3FPE, ZL3FXJ, ZL3FQD, ZL3FMH, and ZL3FHG. The UPC number is 300871239418 or … [Read more...]
FDA Issues Updated Compliance For Infant Formula
The FDA has issued updated compliance for infant formula after the disastrous shutdown of Abbott Nutrition for cronobacter contamination in 2022 that caused severe shortages. The press release states that, "This effort is part of the FDA's ongoing commitment to strengthen the safety, resiliency, and oversight of the infant formula industry." The FDA released its internal evaluation of the response in 2022. It recommended that the agency review and update its compliance program to make sure it reflected the latest science on Cronobacter, and offered consistency and clarify for manufacturers on inspection and compliance activities. The FDA has published its updated compliance program, which it says builds on the lessons learned over the last several years. Salmonella and … [Read more...]
Infants Fed Powdered Infant Formula Get More GI Infections
A study conducted in the United Kingdom found that infants fed powered infant formula contract more gastrointestinal infections than breastfed infants. Part of the problem is contaminated infant feeding equipment. Almost 3/4 of infants in the UK get infant formula in the first 6 weeks. This number rises to 88% by 6 months of age. At least 3000 hospitalizations every year in the UK may be attributed to formula feeding. Breastfed infants have significantly fewer GI infections. The World Health Organization recommends that water used to reconstitute powdered infant formula (PIF) be at least 70°C (158°F) to kill pathogens. Powdered infant formula manufacturers state that they cannot produce a sterile product and that it can contain pathogens such as Cronobacter and Salmonella. For … [Read more...]
Three Infant Food Manufacturers Get Warning Letters From FDA
Three infant food manufacturers received warning letters from the FDA after inspections were conducted at their facilities. The letters were for violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and FDA infant formula regulations. The letters were issued to ByHeart Inc., Mead Johnson Nutrition (Beckett), and Perrigo Wisconsin LLC. The letters "reflect findings from FDA inspections of these facilities over the last several months." At each inspection, the FDA issued inspectional observations and exercised oversight of each firm as they initiated recalls, in December 2022, February 2023, and March 2023. The recalls were for infant formulas potentially contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii, a pathogen that can cause serious illness and death in vulnerable infants. The letters … [Read more...]
Cronobacter Added to Notifiable Pathogens Reported to CDC
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) is recommending that cronobacter be added to the list of notifiable pathogens reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is notable, since this pathogen, which can be deadly to infants, has not been tracked and is not reportable except in two states: Minnesota and Michigan. Because it is not tracked, we do not know how many infants are sickened by this pathogen. It's unfortunate that states will not be required to notify the CDC about these infections, but will only be asked to, although states usually do comply with this type of request. The position statement establishes standardized criteria for case definition and case counting that will be used for public health surveillance purposes. This … [Read more...]
Recalled Gerber Good Start Formula Sold After Recall Issued
Recalled Gerber Good Start SoothePro Infant Formula was sold after the recall was first issued on March 27, 2023, so the company is alerting the public. The infant formula was recalled for possible Cronobacter sakazakii contamination. The recalling firm is Perrigo Company. The formula was manufactured at the company's Gateway Eau Claire, Wisconsin manufacturing facility from January 2, 2023 to January 18, 2023. Cronobacter sakazakii is problematic in baby foods, and there have ben several recalls for infant formula for this type of contamination in the past few years. AWG is a cooperative food wholesaler distributing to independently owned supermarkets. This recalled product was distributed from its Nashville Division only to independent retailers located in Alabama, Georgia, … [Read more...]
FDA Strategy to Increase Resilience of Infant Formula Market
The FDA has released a national strategy to increase the resilience of the infant formula market in the United States. Last year, cronobacter illnesses among some infants led to the inspection of Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan plant where problems were found, including multiple swabs indicating cronobacter contamination. Many recalls were issued and the plant was closed, which threw the infant formula supply in the United States into chaos. While there was not a match between the contamination in the Abbott plant and the sick infants, the situation highlighted how brittle the supply of powdered infant formula is in this country. In 2022, the Food and Drug Omnibus Reform Act directed the FDA to develop this strategy to help keep the market for this product stable. FDA … [Read more...]
Gerber Good Start SoothePro Formula Recalled For Cronobacter
Gerber Good Start SoothePro powdered infant formula is being recalled for possible Cronobacter contamination. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with the consumption of this product. The recalling firm is Perrigo Company of Dublin, Ireland. No distributed product has tested positive for Cronobacter. And no other products manufactured at the facility or any other Perrigo facilities are included in this recall. Cronobacter sakazakii is a bacteria that can sicken infants, especially premature infants, and can cause serious illness. Symptoms of a cronobacter infection include poor feeding, excessive crying, low energy, and fever. If the infection progresses to meningitis or sepsis, symptoms include grunting breaths, unusual cry, pale skin, rapid … [Read more...]
FDA Calls For Enhanced Safety Steps in Powdered Infant Formula
The FDA is calling for enhanced safety steps in powdered infant formula in the wake of the cronobacter crisis in that industry in 2022. Back then, Abbott Nutrition had to close their plant in Sturgis, Michigan that manufactured that formula after cronobacter contamination was found. The whole issue started when four infants were sickened and two died in 2021 and 2022. Those infants were fed powdered infant formula made by Abbott Nutrition. Although cronobacter was found in the Abbott facility, the FDA did not find a connection between the illnesses and the facility. In addition, the FDA found insanitary conditions at that facility. The Abbott facility closed for months after the contamination was found, causing a severe shortage in the infant formula products they made. The FDA … [Read more...]
