Abbott Nutrition has expanded its Similac recall after a second infant death from Cronobacter was reported in Ohio, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This baby is said to have consumed a specialty formula of Similac produced by Abbott Nutrition called Similac PM 60/40.
The code for the recalled lot of this product is 27032K800.
This product was manufactured at Abbott’s plant in Sturgis, Mi where other no-recalled formulas were produced. These Alimentum, EleCare and Similac products have the following information on the bottom of the can or container:
- the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37
- the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2,
- the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later
Cronobacter is a bacteria that can live on dry foods such as powdered milk and infant formula. It is not known to cause severe illness among adults, but in infants, Cronobacter causes serious, often fatal illnesses including sepsis and meningitis. Symptoms of these serious illnesses include: blotchy skin, a pinprick rash, high fever, shivering, fatigue, rapid breathing/difficulty breathing, unusual grunting sounds, refusal to feed, stiff jerky movements, or a very floppy body, irritability, diarrhea, cold hands and feet.
If your infant has these symptoms, seek medical help right away.
Federal health officials say they are investigating five illnesses among babies who consumed the recalled formula. Four of the babies developed Cronobacter, one of them developed a Salmonella infection. Both of the infants who have died were from Ohio.
During its inspection of Abbott’s plant in Sturgis, MI, the FDA took environmental swabs for testing. Several of these were positive for Cronobacter. In addition, the agency said it found “adverse inspectional observations” and by reviewing Abbott’s records discovered that the company had previously found environmental contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii and destroyed product due to the presence of Cronobacter.
Food Safety Lawyers with Experience
If your baby developed a Salmonella or Cronobacter infection and you would like a free consultation with an experienced Food Safety lawyer, please contact us. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.
