Recall alert: Reckitt/Mead Johnson recalls specialty infant formula

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration on Sunday said that Reckitt/Mead Johnson is voluntarily recalling batches of powdered infant formula over bacterial contamination concerns.

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According to a news release, the FDA said that Reckitt/Mead Johnson’s Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Powdered Infant Formula Products were being recalled. The specialty formula is a hypoallergenic infant product used by infants who are allergic to cow’s milk.

The formula came in 12.6-ounce and 19.8-ounce cans and was recalled over the possibility that the product had been contaminated by Cronobacter sakazakii, the FDA said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cronobacter sakazakii is a germ found naturally that can live in dry foods including powdered infant formula.

“Getting sick from Cronobacter does not happen often, but infections in infants can be deadly,” the CDC said. “Cronobacter infections in infants less than 12 months old are often linked to powdered infant formula.”

The FDA said that 675,030 cans of the formula were recalled on Friday after the agency was notified that the formula sent overseas tested positive for Cronobacter sakazakii by the Israeli Ministry of Health, CNN reported.

The FDA said that no illnesses have been reported so far and that most of the formula distributed in the U.S. has likely been consumed. Nutramigen in 12.6-ounce and 19.8-ounce containers was manufactured in June 2023 and distributed primarily in June, July, and August 2023, the agency said.

“All product in question went through extensive testing and tested negative for the bacteria,” Reckitt/Mead Johnson said in a news release.

The batch codes for the products are:

• ZL3FHG (12.6-ounce cans);

• ZL3FMH (12.6-ounce cans);

• ZL3FPE (12.6-ounce cans);

• ZL3FQD (12.6-ounce cans);

• ZL3FRW (19.8-ounce cans);

• ZL3FXJ (12.6-ounce cans).

The products have a UPC of 300871239418 or 300871239456 and “use by date” of “1 Jan. 2025,” the FDA said.

According to the agency, consumers with Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Infant Formula Powder bearing those batch numbers should not use them and dispose of them immediately.

Consumers with questions can call the company at 866-534-9986 at any time, or by email at consumer.relations@rb.com.

“We are committed to the highest level of quality and safety and it is for this reason that we have taken this measure,” Reckitt/Mead Johnson said in a statement. “Other testing of the batches in question tested negative for Cronobacter and other bacteria.”

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