By Carrie Arnold
There is a low stock of baby formula at the store.
The Toidi.
The usual supply of baby formula in the US is out of stock.
Datasembly is a company that analyses real-time product data. The baby formula stock was relatively stable in the first half of the year. Supply chain issues made it harder to get hold of raw ingredients and staffing shortages interrupted production, which led to higher rates last year.
They continued to rise. The US Food and Drug Administration began an inspection of a plant in Michigan owned by the country's largest formula manufacturer after several reported cases of illness and two infant deaths.
Cronobacter sakazakiibacteria were found in the formula and on multiple surfaces in the facility. Abbott Nutrition halted production at the plant in February after announcing a voluntary recall of formulas. The FDA told consumers not to use powdered infant formula from the facility.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said the plant should reopen in the next two weeks.
That is the million-dollar question according to microbiologist S&E9;amus Fanning.
Although powdered baby formula isn't required to be sterile, regulations require manufacturers to take great pains to eliminate all sources of contamination.
Cow's milk is used in many baby formulas, as well as fat and sugar. After the formula is heat-treated to kill any potentially harmfulbacteria, most of these ingredients are added.
Aliyar Fouladkhah, a food microbiologist at Tennessee State University, says that certain ingredients, like iron and vitamins A and D, degrade at high temperatures. It is possible that it happened at this stage, although its exact origin is still unknown.
Mild cases of illness can be caused by the bacterium C. sakazakii. Children under 2 months old are at risk for life threatening inflammation of the brain and spine caused by C. sakazakii.
The babies are very vulnerable and can be fatal.
The ability of the bacterium to survive desiccation is of concern because of the presence of C. sakazakii in powdered formula. Even though the world around it is drying out, a series of chemical barriers can keep the cell moist. It can survive in harsh, dry environments.
Suggested best practice varies between countries and even between authorities in the same country. In the UK, the National Health Service has a detailed 13-step guide that includes using cooled, boiled water to prepare infant formula.
In the US, the CDC recommends washing hands, bottles and teats before preparation, using water from a safe source, and following manufacturer guidelines about the proper amount of powder to add. The formula should be refrigerating for no longer than 24 hours before being discarded.
Lawrence Goodridge, a food scientist at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, warns that a baby's risk of becoming ill could be increased if parents use formula after this time has elapsed. He recommends against using homemade formulas as they could be unsafe.
For caregivers of the most vulnerable babies, including premature infants, those under 2 months of age, and those with compromised immune systems, the CDC and the World Health Organization offer the same guidance: heat water to 70 degrees to kill off potentially harmfulbacteria, mix in the powdered.
There is no way to ensure that baby formula is safe if it is known that it is contaminated.
There are many reasons why people don't breastfeed: they may have difficulty producing milk, lack access to facilities, or have work schedules that don't permit feeding or pumping. People who aren't already breastfeeding can start making milk.
Milk banks can be used to get pasteurised breast milk from pre-screened donors. It is difficult to monitor safe storage and potential contamination of donations outside of programmes that may require a doctor's prescription.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has given guidance to people in the US who are affected by the formula shortage.
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