Abbott Baby Formula Expands Recall to Similac PM Following Death of an Infant

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that the infant who recently died due to Cronobacter sakazakii infection had  consumed Abbott Nutrition's Similac PM 60/40 with lot code 27032K800.

Similac PM was not included in the list of products recalled last February 17. The previously recalled products included Similac, Alimentum, and Elecare formula, as posted at the Sturgis Michigan facility.

The case is under investigation, and the cause of the infant's Cronobacter sakazakii infection has yet to be determined, Abbott stated on its recall website. In the USA Today, Abbott expressed its sympathies to the families affected by the deadly infection.

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now have four incidences of Cronobacter sakazakii infections in infants and one complaint of Salmonella Newport.

The patients were all hospitalized, and the Cronobacter may have contributed to the death of the two infants.

According to the FDA, they are working with Abbott Nutrition to assess the impact of the recall. They are also studying production capacity at other Abbott facilities that produce some of the impacted brands. Abbott and FDA are also working on safe resumption of milk production at the Sturgis facility.

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Abbott Products Recalled

Abbott had recently recalled the following products:

•  Similac PM 60/40 Lot # 27032K80 (can) / Lot # 27032K800 (case)
•  Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas with the following multidigit number on the bottom of the container:
  • the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; and
  • The code on the container contains K8, S.H., or Z2; and
  • The expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

The recently recalled Similac PM were distributed in the United States and Israel, FDA said.

Dangers of Cronobacter sakazakii

The CDC warned that Cronobacter sazakii could naturally be found thriving in very dark places. It thrives in dry foods such as powdered milk, infant formula, herbal teas, and starches. It can also be found in wastewater.

Although Cronobacter illnesses are rare, CDC usually receives two to four infection complaints per year. The germ, however, is frequently lethal to infants, the elderly, and people with immunocompromising conditions. Cronobacter also causes seizures, sepsis, or severe meningitis in infants.

Meanwhile, the recall increased the availability concerns of formula milk which had an out-of-stock level of 25 percent as of February. Parents have seen store shelves with less milk formula supply. Parents find themselves scouring several stores for Alimentum formula.

Abbott has increased round-the click shift to prepare more formula milk to address the milk shortage concerns.

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