For example, cronobacter sakazakii has been shown to cause sepsis or meningitis . As politico recently reported, the fda, cdc and formula maker abbott nutrition knew about the first infant seriously sickened by cronobacter sakazakii, a rare bacteria, in september. It was more than four months before fda sent inspectors to investigate the plant where the formula was made. The timeline has raised questions about the government’s response and whether quicker action could have prevented illnesses and deaths.

All five illnesses resulted in hospitalization—and cronobactermay have contributed to death in two patients. Feb abbott laboratories (abt.N) recalled some similac pm 60/40 cans and cases produced at a michigan facility, after an infant who was exposed to the powdered baby formula died, the u.S. The food and drug administration is expanding its advisory on powdered baby formulas to include a certain lot of specialty similac pm 60/40.

Powdered infant formula can also be contaminated at home or elsewhere after the container is opened. For example, cronobacter could get into the formula if formula lids or scoops are placed on contaminated surfaces and later touch the formula, Abbott Baby Formula Recall Lawsuit or if the formula is mixed with contaminated water or in a contaminated bottle. Children who consumed similac, alimentum, elecare, or similac pm 60/40 may be at serious risk.

The day after the sweeping recall was announced, fda answered a few of politico’s questions about the investigation timeline, but after that did not address several specific follow up questions about why the recall took months. In epidemiology, it’s long been known that for every case of foodborne illness that’s detected and linked to an outbreak, there are many others that will not be accounted for. Cdc estimates that for every lab-confirmed case of salmonella there are 30 that go undetected. In the current outbreak, cdc has connected one case of salmonella newport to the outbreak. Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria can cause serious invasive infections and premature infant death. To find out if your formula has been recalled, go to this website and enter the product code on the bottom of the package.

Anything that’s out of the normal or ordinary to you, have your baby checked or at least call your healthcare provider. Continuing to feed your baby the formula can have a detrimental effect on their health. Verywell family content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article.

Abbott’s failure to properly safety-test their products prior to sale isn’t your burden to bear, as they were the ones who chose to act negligently and expose their customers to the risk of a dangerous infection. Our product liability lawyers have a proven track record of recovering the full extent of damages in cases like this, and most importantly, we’re not afraid of any bully organization. After inspecting the facility, the fda issued five citations to abbott nutrition. While the company claims that products are thoroughly tested for quality and no cases of either bacteria have been found in distributed products, they have issued a recall. The recalled abbott products can be identified by examining the coding on the bottom of each container. The affected formulas all have an expiration date of april 1, 2022, or later.