The Government of Canada website announced a recall warning for several powdered infant formula products due to possible microbial contamination.
Shopper's Drug Mart, a retail pharmacy chain in Canada, is recalling the Abbott brand powdered infant formula products from the marketplace due to possible Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella contamination. The store placed the recall warning on February 17, 2022, but Shopper's Drug Mart erroneously sold some units online, CTV News reports.
The recalled products include 964-gram containers of Similac Advance Step 1 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified Infant Formula Powder, 964-gram containers of Similac Advance Step 2 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified and Calcium-Enriched Infant Formula Powder, 400-gram containers of Similac Alimentum Step 1 Hypoallergenic Infant Formula Powder and 658-gram containers of Similac Advance Step 2 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified and Calcium-Enriched Infant Formula Powder.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is investigating the matter, which could also lead to the recall of other products.
Advice from Health Canada
Global News reports that the shortage is linked to the safety-related closure of the Abbott manufacturing plant in the U.S., which is affecting global supplies.
Health Canada, the institution responsible for helping Canadians maintain and ensure that its citizens get quality and accessible health services and reduce health risks, clarified on June 6 that there is no current shortage of regular infant formula in Canada. However, the agency acknowledged a shortage of formula for infants with food allergies and certain medical conditions. The deficit includes extensively hydrolyzed formulas and amino-acid-based formulas.
Brands with extensively hydrolyzed formulas include:
- Nutramigen®A+
- Nutramigen®A+ LGG
- Pregestimil®A+
- Similac Alimentum®
These formulas are for mild to moderately severe allergies.
Doctors recommend amino-acid-based formulas for severe, life-threatening allergies that are usually available by prescription. Its common brands are:
- Neocate®Infant DHA & ARA
- Puramino®A+
The agency advised parents not to buy formula milk more than they need, especially the hypoallergenic formula. It also warned parents not to dilute or water down infant formula to extend its use as it affects the nutritional content, compromising the baby's health.
It also warned parents not to make homemade infant formula or substitute it for other beverages like cow's milk, goat's milk, evaporated milk, or fortified or unfortified plant-based beverages like soy, oat, rice, almond, coconut, cashew).
Health Canada recommended that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) allow the importation and sale of products approved by foreign regulatory authorities until June 30.
Flooded manufacturing facility
The Abbott plant in Michigan was reopened on June 4 but had to be closed again as severe thunderstorms, and heavy rains flooded manufacturing plant areas.
In Abbott's statement dated June 15, the company had to stop producing Elecare Specialty Formula to assess the damage caused by the storm and re-sanitize the plant.
Abbott also announced that it would import milk from its Abbott plant in Spain to help ease the shortage.
