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At least four infants have been hospitalized with bacterial infections linked to Similac, Alimentum and EleCare powdered baby formulas, prompting a voluntary recall, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports. One death has also been reported, but has not been confirmed to be solely attributable to bacterial infection at this time.
The FDA is currently investigating Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility—where all of the recalled products were made—but in the meantime, has issued an advisory telling people to stop using and purchasing the recalled formula. This comes at a time when infant formula was already in short supply as a result of labor shortages.
Here’s what to know about the recall, including the products included, and what to do if you have them.
Why is the baby formula being recalled?
As of Friday, February 18, 2022, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had received multiple reports of bacterial infections in infants caused by Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella—all of which have been linked to consuming powdered infant formulas produced at the same Michigan facility. So far, none of the distributed product have tested positive for these harmful bacteria, but testing will continue.
Which baby formulas are being recalled?
The recall includes multiple varieties of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas. The recall does not include liquid formula products or any metabolic deficiency nutrition formulas. The products were sold nationwide, as well as in Canada, and multiple countries throughout the world.
To find out whether Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas are part of the recall, locate the seven- to nine-digit code and expiration date on the bottom of the package. Products are included in the recall if they have all three items below:
- 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 (APR 2022) or later.
You can also enter the product lot code on the company’s website to see if it is part of the recall.
What to do if you have the recalled formula
Do not feed any of the recalled formulas to your infant.
If your normal formula is included in the recall, the FDA urges parents and caregivers to contact their child’s pediatrician for a recommendation on an alternative. They should not, however, dilute infant formula, make or feed homemade infant formula to infants, or purchase imported formula through online sales, as it has the potential to be counterfeit.
To find out whether you’re eligible for a refund or a replacement (it depends on how and where you purchased the formula), go to similacrecall.com and follow the instructions. You can also call Similac customer service at 1-800-986-8540.
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