Powdered infant formula recall expands following reports of bacterial infections

Information on how to check the lot number of your formula is available at this link.

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, the Washington State Department of Health said Wednesday. 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 can’t 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. The health department said that Washington WIC is working to provide formula alternatives for families but can’t guarantee alternatives will be available in every store. Caregivers are asked to call the store ahead of time to ensure the formula you need is available. WIC families can also contact 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, the health department said. If you are not on WIC, 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.

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