Abbott Restarts Baby Formula Plant: Crisis-Inducing Shutdown Was Likely Needless

In what will come as welcome news to anxious parents across the country, Abbott Nutrition announced it restarted production of infant formula at its Sturgis, Michigan plant on Saturday.

The four infected infants consumed four different types of Abbott formula made over the course of almost a year; the illnesses took place over several months in three different states.

"In all four cases, the state, FDA, and/or CDC tested samples of the Abbott formula that was used by the child. In all four cases, all unopened containers tested negative," according to a summary of the case Abbott posted on May 11.

Cronobacter bacteria could get into the formula if formula lids or scoops are placed on contaminated surfaces and later touch the formula or if the formula is mixed with contaminated water or in a contaminated bottle.

This week, the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services announced an audit of the FDA's initiation of the Abbott baby formula recall, including whether the agency "Followed the inspections and recall process for infant formula in accordance with Federal requirements."

So too with the Great Baby Formula Crisis of 2022: On May 19, the House approved $28 million in emergency FDA funding to hire more FDA inspectors, "Provide resources for personnel working on formula issues," and "Improve data collection on the infant formula marketplace."

Speaking of marketplace data, the crisis was compounded by the concentration of the U.S. baby formula market, where just two companies-Abbott and Mead Johnson-comprise about 80% of it.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/abbott-restarts-baby-formula-plant-crisis-inducing-shutdown-was-likely-needless