FDA raises concerns about baby formula safety

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - There are new concerns about the safety of baby formula and how it is made.

After a major baby formula shortage last year, the FDA is revealing the results of recent inspections. It sent warning letters to three of the top infant formula makers over contamination concerns. Letters went to Reckitt/Mead Johnson, Perrigo, and Byheart.

Federal regulars are worried about the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii. It’s deadly to infants, or at least can make them very sick. It’s the same bacteria that prompted Abbott to shut down its facility in Michigan last year, leading to a nationwide shortage.

Wet conditions and cracks are favorable for the growth of Cronobacter, the FDA says, and in these letters investigators say they found “significant violations” inside facilities during inspections since late last year. That included a finished product that tested positive for Cronobacter.

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