Could your baby’s infant formula be spoiled?
That’s the question a lot of parents need to be asking themselves right now, given that Abbott Nutrition has issued a new recall of certain formula products.
Complaints about the company’s safety standards have been mounting over the years, and a massive recall of contaminated formula early in 2022 contributed to a nationwide shortage. This latest issue draws more attention than ever to the idea that the company puts profits ahead of people.
What is in the latest Similac recall?
Abbott Labs is making a voluntary recall of certain Ready-to-Feed formula lots that were manufactured in Columbus, Ohio (not Michigan, the source of the previous recall this year). Affected lot numbers are listed on the company’s site, but the recall includes:
- Similac NeoSure
- Similac Special Care 24
- Similac 360 Total Care
- Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive
- Similac Pro-Total Comfort
- Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution
All of the recalls involve 2 fl.oz./59 ml bottles. According to the recall notice, the issue is that it’s possible that some of the bottles may not have been properly sealed. That means air can leak into the product, leading to spoilage – and that can ultimately make a baby very sick.
The company warns that a child who consumes any spoiled products would likely develop gastrointestinal symptoms, like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, which clues parents in on what to look for if they’re worried their child may have already ingested some of the defective formula.
While the company spokesperson took great pains to point out that less than 1% of the bottles in the recall might actually have faulty seals and that the recalled lots as a whole represented “less than one day’s worth of the total infant formula fed in the U.S.,” that kind of mitigating language doesn’t mean much when your child ends up sick.
If defective infant formula led to your child’s injury, it may be time to learn more about your legal options.