FDA advises parents to skip some Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas after reports of bacterial infections and one possible death

• After reports of bacterial infections in infants, the FDA is advising parents to skip certain powdered infant formulas.
• The affected brands were Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare, produced in Abbott Nutrition's facility in Sturgis, Michigan.

The Food and Drug Administration urged parents on Thursday not to use powdered baby formulas from three brands following reports they may have contributed to infant hospitalizations and one possible death.

The warning pertains to certain formulas made by Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare, which are produced at a facility operated by parent company Abbott Nutrition in Sturgis, Michigan. According to the FDA, there have been four reported cases of bacterial infections that led to four infant hospitalizations and one potential death from September to December of last year

Three of the cases were tied to cronobacter sakazakii, an uncommon bacterial infection that may have a mortality rate of as high as 40% for infants under 12 months old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This particular outbreak "may have contributed to a death in one case," the FDA wrote in a news release. The fourth case was related to salmonella newport, which can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Per the FDA, caregivers should check the containers of any powdered Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare formulas and look for codes listed on the package near the expiration date. Impacted products include the following codes and should not be consumed:

• 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 (April 2022 or later)

Consumers can also visit this website to type in the code to see if a product is affected. Abbott is recalling the product voluntarily, according to a Thursday statement.

"While Abbott's testing of finished product detected no pathogens, we are taking action by recalling the powder formula manufactured in this facility with an expiration of April 1, 2022, or later," the statement said.

According to the FDA, officials inspected the facility and found cronobacter sakazakii as well as internal records that the factory itself had identified and tried to eliminate the bacteria.

The bacterial outbreaks and recalls follow a February 2021 Congressional report that found that several high-profile baby food brands contained heavy metals like arsenic and lead. However, experts said there are various steps parents can take to protect children, including easy food swaps and implementing variety in their children's diet.