Powdered infant formula recall expands following reports of bacterial infections

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

OLYMPIA – Abbott Nutrition has expanded its voluntary recall of certain powdered infant formulas produced at the company’s manufacturing facility in Sturgis, Michigan, because of possible Cronobacter contamination. Parents and caregivers should not feed their babies recalled Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered formulas.

Recalled powdered infant formulas include Similac PM 60/40 with lot code 27032K80 (can) / 27032K800 (case), in addition to Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered formula products that have all three of these conditions:

• First two digits of the code are 22 through 37, and
• The container contains “K8,” “SH,” or “Z2,” and
• The use-by date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

Product lot codes can be found on the bottom of the package. To confirm if a product is included in the recall, customers can enter their product lot code on Abbott Nutrition’s website or call 1-800-986-8540. If a formula you own is included in the recall, immediately stop feeding it to your baby and return it for a refund at the store where you bought it. You can also return it to Abbott Nutrition. If you cannot find the code on the powdered formula package, do not use it. If the formula you use is not included in the recall, it is still safe to use and does not need to be thrown out or returned.

In Washington, at least 18,000 families who receive formula through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program may be involved in the recall. A similar number of families not on WIC may also be using recalled formula. Washington WIC is working hard to provide formula alternatives for families but cannot guarantee alternatives will be available in every store, so please call the store ahead of time to ensure the formula you need is available. WIC families can also reach out to WIC clinics and check the WIC shopping app for updates. Additionally, if you are feeding your baby both breastmilk and formula and want to do more breastfeeding, WIC has trained staff available to help. If you are not on WIC, please reach out to your health care provider for support.

The first symptom of Cronobacter infection in infants is usually a fever accompanied by poor feeding, excessive crying, or very low energy. Some infants may have seizures. Contact your child’s health care provider if your baby is experiencing these symptoms or if they consumed the recalled formula.

Parents and caregivers should never dilute powdered infant formula and should not make or feed homemade formula to infants. Additional information on formula preparation and storage can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

The recall remains under investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At this time, no known cases have been reported in Washington.