Similac Baby Formula Recalled: Three kinds of infant formula have been recalled due to possible bacterial contamination. Following the hospitalization of four infants with bacterial infections, Abbott Nutrition voluntarily recalled its popular Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare formulas. According to POLITICO, the Minnesota Department of Health looked into a case in September 2021 in which a newborn became ill after being exposed to Cronobacter sakazakii.
Infant formula was connected to an outbreak of illness in September, four months before the FDA issued a recall of three major brands this week, following reports that four newborns were hospitalized and one died as a result of the outbreak. Three major baby formula brands have been recalled in the wake of reports of sickness from September through January to the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cronobacter sakazakii affected a newborn in September 2021, the Minnesota Department of Health confirmed to POLITICO. The infant had taken powdered formula produced at an Abbott Nutrition plant in Sturgis, Mich., and state health officials in Minnesota were aware of this and submitted this information with the FDA and CDC in September.
According to the agency
According to a spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration, it began an inspection of the plant on January 31. Cronobacter sakazakii was detected in a variety of environmental samples taken from the factory by the inspectors. They also discovered papers indicating that the corporation had discovered the bacteria in the factory and had destroyed products as a result of the problem. Three weeks after beginning the examination, the FDA issued a warning to consumers and a voluntary recall from Abbott Nutrition.
(FDA) has Released information
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released information about which formulas have been recalled in this country. As the state of Minnesota informed POLITICO, the sick Minnesota baby was hospitalized for 22 days before being discharged. This foodborne bacteria, known as Cronobacter sakazakii, can cause “severe, life-threatening infections” including sepsis and meningitis, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Foodborne outbreaks are exceedingly difficult to trace because most people eat a wide variety of foods and sometimes forget exactly what they ate days or weeks later. However, infants’ foodborne diseases are much easier to treat. When a baby is born, they are usually fed only one source of nutrition: breast milk, or in certain situations, both. Investigators in Minneapolis gathered data on how much formula was administered to a newborn, including lot numbers, as part of their investigation into the case, Schultz explained. “CDC and FDA were made aware of this information.”
It can take time to gather enough information to put the puzzle pieces together or at least to make obvious the actions needed to safeguard public health,” explained Doug Schultz, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Department of Health, as to why one disease might not cause an immediate recall. The FDA is the only agency with the authority to order a nationwide recall of a product.
FDA says it received two more cases of Cronobacter sakazakii between September and December, but the agency hasn’t responded to inquiries about when it received those two reports. A Salmonella Newport sickness was also reported to the FDA. The powdered formula from the Sturgis facility was believed to have been ingested by all four infants who were hospitalized. Only one fatality has been linked to Cronobacter infection, according to the FDA, which says the cause “has not been confirmed.”
Adverse Findings made by FDA Investigators
According to the FDA’s Thursday warning, an onsite inspection has begun at the business. Cronobacter has been found in a number of environmental samples taken by the FDA, as well as in adverse findings made by FDA investigators. Cronobacter sakazakii contamination was found in the company’s internal records, as was product degradation as a result of Cronobacter.” The FDA said on Thursday that it is “ongoing” its probe.
On Friday, an FDA representative said, “The FDA is continuing to investigate and will publish additional consumer safety information as soon as it becomes available.” A suspected link between the Cronobacter cases was first brought to the attention of the CDC, which works closely with the FDA to combat foodborne illness outbreaks, on Tuesday, February 10. The CDC does not require reporting of Cronobacter illnesses. According to a spokeswoman, the agency receives a few reports of such incidents each year, but they are extremely rare and rarely linked.
Between September 2021 and the end of January 2022, Abbott Nutrition received complaints, according to a company spokeswoman. According to the company’s representative, “We thoroughly reviewed each complaint and engaged with the FDA in accordance with our standard quality processes.”In an email, the spokesman stated, “We cherish the trust parents have in us for high-quality and safe nourishment and we’ll do everything it takes to preserve that trust and fix this matter.
Before a product can be marketed, it must be tested and found to be free of both pathogens, according to the company representative. A crucial food safety tool, microbiological testing can miss contamination issues. FDA’s food recall process had severe flaws, according to a 2017 inspector general report. In the end, the FDA did not have enough protocols in place to ensure that companies took timely and effective action when initiating voluntary food recalls, which led to a lack of prompt recalls.
Since then, the government has worked to strengthen its response to foodborne outbreaks. Among other improvements, the agency announced in December that it had enlarged its rapid reaction teams to better assist federal and state officials in working together.
A Few More Details:
It is conceivable that products created at the Sturgis, Michigan plant have been exported to other nations. Non-compliant goods are unaffected by this change in policy. Liquid formulas and metabolic deficit nutrition formulations are not covered by the FDA recommendation. It is recommended that consumers continue to use all items that are not mentioned in the advice. Cronobacter and Salmonella have been implicated with three cases of disease so far, affecting people in Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. Cronobacter may have led to a death in one of the four cases cited in these complaints.
A severe infection (sepsis) or meningitis can be caused by Cronobacter bacteria (inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spine). Poor feeding, irritability, temperature fluctuations, jaundice (yellow skin and eye whites), grunting breaths, and odd movements are all signs of sepsis and meningitis. As well as damaging the bowels, Cronobacter infection can also spread through the blood to other parts of your body. (stellardental.my) Infants whose caregivers have used these products should seek immediate medical attention if they are concerned about their health.
Your child’s healthcare professional should be notified promptly if any of these symptoms are present in your child. Bacteria belonging to the Salmonella genus can cause gastroenteritis and fever, which is known as salmonellosis. Diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pains are common symptoms of salmonellosis. There are more serious symptoms of salmonellosis and it can even be fatal in rare situations. These include a high temperature, muscle pains and headaches, fatigue, and a rash as well as the presence of blood in the urine or stool.
When it comes to newborn formula, parents and caregivers shouldn’t dilute it or produce their own infant formula. If your child’s regular formula isn’t available, ask your child’s doctor for advice on how to adjust the child’s feeding routine. The FDA’s investigation is still ongoing, and we’ll let you know when we get any new information on consumer safety.
