Major baby formula producer issues recalls over bacterial contamination concerns

Reckitt, a consumer goods company, has issued a recall of baby formula products across the United States due to the potential for bacterial contamination, according to an announcement on Sunday.

The recall comes after the company discovered that two batches of ProSobee Simply Plant-Based Infant Formula might have been cross-contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii, a species frequently linked to powdered formulas and potentially fatal to infants, according to a report from the CDC.

The company will recall 145,000 cans produced between August 2022 and September 2022 and sold throughout the United States, the Daily Wire reported.

“We are committed to the highest level of quality and safety and it is for this reason that we have taken this extraordinary measure,” Reckitt stated to the press. “After a thorough investigation, we have identified the root cause, which was linked to a material from a third party. We have taken all appropriate corrective actions, including no longer sourcing this material from the supplier. The health and safety of infants is our highest priority.”

The recall occurred approximately one year after Abbott Nutrition temporarily closed a baby formula facility in Sturgis, Michigan, and issued a voluntary recall of several products due to bacterial contamination. The move led to a nationwide shortage of baby formula.

The White House was concerned that the absence of EleCare, a formula for children who cannot digest other products, would be a problem for parents and government officials, and as a result, initiated "Operation Fly Formula," which saw the military importing baby formula from Europe.

The FDA found standing water, roof leaks, bacterial growths, and inadequate hygiene at the Abbott facility, which was closed between February 2022 and June 2022, and several infants across the country were reportedly impacted by bacterial infections.