Some Gerber Good Start formulas have been recalled due to possible bacteria contamination

Some Gerber Good Start SoothePro powdered infant formula lots have been voluntarily recalled due to the potential presence of Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria. 

Perrigo Company, Gerber’s parent company, notes that the recall has been ordered “out of an abundance of caution” since the bacteria was linked to the company’s Eau Claire, Wis. facility, but it has not been found in distributed formula. 

As of last Friday, no illnesses have been reported, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states. 

Though Cronobacter sakazakii is commonly found in the environment, bacterial infection is rare, though in some cases it can lead to bowel damage or may spread through the blood to cause meningitis or sepsis, which can be life-threatening. It can cause severe illness in premature infants, babies under 2 months of age or those with weakened immune systems. 

Was my baby’s formula impacted by the Gerber Good Start recall?

If you purchased cans of Gerber Good Start SoothePro powdered infant formula after March 5, 2023, check the bottom of the can for the lot codes and use-by dates listed below. No other lot codes or products, such as baby food, are impacted by this recall. 

If you purchased a product with a matching code, stop using it and dispose of the product. You can reach out to Gerber for a refund by calling 1-800-777-7690. 

Do not use Gerber® Good Start® SoothePro 12.4 oz if the following lot codes are found on the container:

300357651Z – USE BY 04JUL2024

300457651Z – USE BY 05JUL2024

300557651Z – USE BY 06JUL2024

300557652Z – USE BY 06JUL2024

300757651Z – USE BY 08JUL2024

300857651Z – USE BY 09JUL2024

301057651Z – USE BY 11JUL2024

301057652Z – USE BY 11JUL2024

301157651Z – USE BY 12JUL2024

Do not use Gerber® Good Start® SoothePro 30.6 oz if the following lot codes are present:

301357652Z – USE BY 14JUL2024

301457652Z – USE BY 15JUL2024

301557651Z – USE BY 16JUL2024

Do not use Gerber Good Start® SoothePro 19.4 oz if the following lot codes are present:

301557652Z – USE BY 16JUL2024I

If you’re worried that your infant may have consumed some of the recalled product, reach out to your pediatrician for more information on the signs of potential Cronobacter infection, which may include poor feeding, irritability, temperature changes, jaundice, grunting breaths and abnormal movements, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports. 

Cronobacter was also a major factor behind the 2022 infant formula shortage, during which an Abbott Nutrition plant in Sturgis, Mich. was shut down after Cronobacter infections were reported in several infants who had consumed the formulas made there. The subsequent recall and facility closure, combined with pandemic supply chain issues, resulted in a nationwide formula shortage which left families everywhere struggling to find formula to feed their babies. Given the smaller scale of the Gerber Good Start infant formula recall, it’s not expected to result in a shortage.

Related: The formula shortage is just the latest crisis society has heaped on mothers

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