Abbott Laboratories to recall some batches of Alimentum infant formula due to possible presence of Salmonella, other bacteria

SINGAPORE  — Abbott Laboratories has been directed to recall certain batches of one of its powdered infant formulas due to the possibility of bacteria, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Saturday (Feb 19).

In a media release, SFA said the company had been told to recall "implicated batches" of Abbott Alimentum due to the possible presence of Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport, both pathogenic bacteria.

"Cronobacter sakazakii infections are generally rare, and can cause meningitis or sepsis," the agency said. 

The bacterium can survive dry conditions, such as dry food like infant formula and powdered milk, it said. 

Examples of symptoms in infected infants include fever, poor feeding or lethargy, SFA added. 

Meanwhile, Salmonella Newport can cause gastrointestinal illness and those infected may experience fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea, said the SFA.

"Parents or caregivers who are concerned should stop using the product," it said.

"They should seek medical assistance should their infants feel unwell after consuming the affected products," the agency added, noting consumers can contact retailers for enquiries.  

The code on the container of affected batches contains K8, SH or Z2, with the first two digits of the code running from 22 to 37.

The country of origin for the affected batches is the United States of America (USA), and the produces will have an expiration date of Apr 1, 2022 or later. 

This comes after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was working with Abbott Nutrition to initiate a voluntary recall of the infant formula due to the possible presence of the bacteria.

US authorities are investigating consumer complaints of infections reportedly linked to consumption of the product, SFA said. 

The FDA said on its website that all four cases linked to these complaints were hospitalised and that a bacterial infection may have contributed to a death in one case. CNA

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