Was your infant’s formula recalled? What to know, plus doctor-recommended alternatives
A major baby formula recall from Abbott Nutrition has parents hard-pressed to find the alternative formulas they need to feed their infants.
Here’s what caregivers need to know about the recall, as well as some alternative infant formula options.
How do I know if my baby formula is safe?
The recall applies to certain Similac, Alimentum and EleCare products.
Monday, Abbott also recalled one lot of Similac PM 60/40 with the lot code 27032K800, CNN reported.
The FDA also previously recommended consumers look at the lot code, a multi-digit number on the bottom of a container of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare powdered baby formula, and do not use it if:
The first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; and
The code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2; and
The expiration date is 4-1-2022 (April 1, 2022) or later.
Caregivers can also enter their product lot code on the company’s website to check if their canister is among the recalled products.
Abbott is recalling products manufactured at its Sturgis, Mich., facility after complaints related to Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella Newport in infants who had consumed powder infant formula manufactured at the facility.
On Monday, the baby formula recall expanded, with Abbott announcing a recall of one lot of the Similac PM 60/40 powdered infant due another report of a dangerous bacterial infection, CNN reported.
The recall was made after an additional child consumed the formula, fell ill and later died, the FDA announced Monday.
No Abbott liquid formulas, powder formulas or nutrition products from other facilities are impacted by the recall.
Powdered Abbott products that do not have the code and expiration date are not included in the recall, the FDA said. Liquid formula products and metabolic deficiency nutrition formulas are also exempt.
What to look for when shopping for alternative formula products:
Dr. George Fuchs, the chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital, has sourced a list of alternative formula products parents can shop for. The recommendations, which come from the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, should give parents a similarly formulated alternative to the recalled Abbott products.
Fuchs noted a replacement for Similac PM 60/40 is not included on the recommendations below.
“There is no other commercially available alternative. Parents will need to ask their primary care provider direct them to a pediatric dietitian to help them make it from a recipe,” Fuchs said.
Formula recall floods local health department with calls
After the Abbott recall, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has been fielding hundreds of calls from caregivers seeking help feeding their infants.
“We’re getting hundreds of calls a day about this,” LFCHD spokesman Kevin Hall told the Herald-Leader Monday.
Since Feb. 18 – when Abbott first announced it was voluntarily recalling three types of baby formula after four babies were sickened with bacterial infections – Hall said the local agency has received “non-stop phone calls in our clinic.”
Caregivers who participate in the Women, Infants and Children program, known as WIC, are especially affected by the recall. The program helps low-income caregivers feed their children.
Hall said the department has about 6,000 WIC participants and it’s using telehealth services to educate them about their options and which types of formula are safe.
“Each response is geared toward the individual,” Hall said, adding that what’s most important for infant caregivers to know is which products have been recalled and that they cannot dilute formula to make it safe from bacterial contamination.
“Take it very seriously,” Hall cautioned.
What should I do if I am a WIC participant who purchased the recalled product?
Hall recommends local WIC participants call the health department, which can be reached at 859-288-2483, though they may have to hold, he said.
“They need to call us first,” Hall said.
Hall urged WIC caregivers who purchased the recalled product not to throw away their can of baby formula, but instead bring it to the LFCHD.
According to the FDA, those cans are exchangeable for a refund at the store it was purchased at, or consumers can call the manufacturer at 1-800-986-8540.
WIC participants should be able to obtain a different brand of formula. The FDA advised calling your local WIC clinic for more guidance.
Some other ways to find formula in the event of a shortage
- Check with hospitals and pediatricians’ offices. When you bring your baby in for routine visits, you can sometimes leave with free baby formula. Manufacturers will often market their products to parents by offering free samples in hopes they become loyal customers throughout their child’s infancy.
- Sign up for free sample programs. Formula manufacturers often offer free samples through program sign-ups on their websites. Enfamil, for example, is not included in the Abbott recall and will send parents samples and formula discounts through its Enfamil Family Beginnings program. Some manufacturers will also offer discounted samples, for example, Nature’s One. This organic baby formula will send you a full-size sample, but you’ll pay $5.95 in shipping.
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 12:21 PM.