Walmart has pulled a single lot of Enfamil Newborn powdered baby formula from its shelves this week, following the death of a baby in Missouri with an extremely rare bacterial infection that is usually associated with drinking powdered formula.
Enfamil Newborn is a type of formula that has extra vitamin D and is marketed to parents who have babies up to three months old. The extra vitamin D is thought to be helpful because newborns and younger infants often drink a smaller volume of formula than older infants.
Parents should note that there has been no recall of this formula though and that the batch of formula has not tested positive for the bacteria in question - Cronobacter sakazakii.
Although this is not an official recall, Walmart has pulled all 12.5 ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn with lot number ZP1K7G. If you have one and bought it at Walmart, you can return it to the store for a refund or to exchange it for another can.
It is important to note that this is a very rare infection. There are usually only about three reported infections each year around the world. And while the CDC reports that Cronobacter has been found in prepared formula and in the environment where formula was mixed, it is not as common for it to be cultured from unopened canisters of formula.
In a 2008 investigation of two infants in New Mexico, Cronobacter was found in an opened formula canister in one of their homes, but not in any unopended canisters in the home or formula of the same lot number.
To reduce a baby's risk of Cronobacter infections, it can help to:
- breastfeed your baby
- use sterile liquid infant formula when breastfeeding is not an option and a baby is in a high-risk setting, such as premature babies in the NICU, as powdered formula is not sterile
- follow safe formula preparation procedures on the label of the formula
The World Health Organization actually prepared guidelines for the safe preparation, storage and handling of powdered infant formula in response to earlier cases of this type of infection.
Hopefully we will get further information from the CDC or FDA about this case soon, as it seems strange and confusing for a major retailer to pull a product that hasn't been recalled.
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You know is scary. I bought the new born baby formula about 3 weeks ago and my baby had loose stool that I had to take her to urgent care. Doctor said it was normal just to change formula. If the formula is really the cause I’m thankful I took her for a ck up right away.
I bought the same newborn enfamil about a month ago, My baby hasn’t had any signs of being sick he seems just fine. But I hope its not the formula because that is scary.
Im worry is it only the infant formula or all the emfamil because im feeding my infant premium.