Abbott Labs recalled select lots of 2 fluid ounce/59-milliliter bottles of Ready-to-Feed liquid formula for infants and children on Oct. 14 due to a small percentage of bottles (less than 1%) having caps that may not have adequately sealed, possibly resulting in spoilage. According to the company, a child could develop stomach problems such as vomiting or diarrhea after ingesting the spoiled formula. In a statement to CNN, a company spokesperson said that the recall involves “less than a day’s worth” of infant formula in the U.S., so overall supplies should remain unaffected. The formula was manufactured in Columbus, Ohio, not in the Sturgis, Michigan, plant subject to a recall in February that contributed to the shortage of baby formula.
Among the brands recalled include Similac, Pro-Total Comfort, Similac 360 Total Care, Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive, Similac Special Care 24, Similac Stage 1, Similac NeoSure, Similac Water (Sterilized) and Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution. These products are primarily distributed to hospitals, doctors’ offices, distributors, and retailers in the U.S. Abbott also dispersed some lots to Haiti, Jamaica, Canada, Curacao, Panama, Barbados, Bermuda, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Trinidad and Tobago. Abbott is currently manufacturing Similac 2 fluid ounce/59-milliliter Ready-to-Feed liquid formulas for hospitals and healthcare providers’ offices on a separate production line. The press release notes that Similac infant formula continues to be manufactured in alternative sizes and formats for retail outlets and increased production across Abbott’s global manufacturing network.
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There is a list of affected lot numbers on the website similacrecall.com. The company said that if a consumer has one of the recalled products, they should not feed it to their child. “We take our responsibility to deliver high-quality products very seriously,” said Joe Manning, Abbott’s executive vice president of nutritional products, in a news release. “We internally identified the issue, are addressing it, and will work with our customers to minimize inconvenience and get them the products they need.”
None of Abbott’s other liquid or powder formula brands or other nutrition products produced at its Ohio facility or elsewhere is included in the recall. In addition, it excludes amino acid-based formulas and metabolic nutrition formulas. After an FDA inspection in February, Abbott’s Sturgis plant closed for months after discovering Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria, which are deadly to infants. A recall of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas produced at the plant intensified shortages due to supply chain disruptions. For months, families across the U.S. have struggled to find formula for infants and people with special nutritional needs.
In July, a storm and flooding forced officials to shut down the plant again after only two weeks of production, but Abbott restarted it in August. Millions of pounds of imported formula have been brought in by the Biden administration’s Operation Fly Formula. Market research firm IRI reported that formula stock levels have improved but are still not at their pre-shortage levels. To identify if a product is included in the recall, visit similacrecall.com for a list of affected lot numbers or use the webpage lot number checker. U.S. consumers with questions can contact Abbott’s Consumer Relations hotlines at 1-800-986-8540.
