Baby Formula Recall: Here's What Parents Need To Know

Skip to main content Fort Worth, Texas, 18 February 2022 | 11:19 AM America/Chicago Baby Formula Recall: Here's What Parents Need to Know

Some batches of the Similac, Alimentum or EleCare formulas are being recalled.

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Batches of three infant powdered formula brands have been voluntarily recalled because of possible bacterial infections. So far, four instances of infant illness have been reported to the Food and Drug Administration.

Which formulas are being recalled?

The FDA is telling consumers to check the codes and expiration dates on their formula if they use Similac, Alimentum or EleCare, manufactured by Abbott. Do not use the formulas if:

· the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37 and

· the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2, and

· the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

The code is printed on the product packaging near the expiration date (see product image).

Enter your item online

You can also check to see if your product is recalled by entering the lot number printed on the bottom of the formula on the Abbott website. Go here to enter lot number.

If your item is part of the recall, Abbott says toreturn the product to the retailer where you purchased it or enter your information online so Abbott can send you product return instructions.

If your regular formula is not available, contact your child’s healthcare provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices.

Products that do not contain the information listed above are not impacted by the recall.

Symptoms

Pediatrician Diane Arnaout, M.D., of Cook Children’s Pediatrics Forest Park, says that if you have been feeding your baby from one of these recalled batches, watch for extreme lethargy, fever, yellow eyes, severe or bloody diarrhea, grunting breaths (in a child who seems sick) and poor feeding. Call your doctor if you are worried.

These affected powdered infant formulas have the potential to be contaminated with Cronobacter or Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause severe foodborne illness primarily in infants.

The FDA is inspecting the facility where the batches were made. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local partners are also investigating the complaints.

Comments 1 - 12 (12) Thank you for your message. It will be posted after approval.Name: *Email: *Message:Gabrielle Depew 20February2022My daughter has the batch of the similac alimentum that got recalled and has had severe diarrhea and belly pains for over a week now extremely bad gas. We are currently in the emergency room at childrens hospital. Alicia jarvis20February2022The forks I've been feeding my 1 month old son since febuary 3rd is affected according to the batch number and code for a week now he has had very poor feeding spitting up more often but no fever Kayla19February2022If I have 2 open cans of the recall formula are the stores going to take them or do I need to have a receipt to return the cans?Jennifer Ramsey19February2022My son has had open heart surgery and a shunt now his milk is making him sick. We can't catch a breakMaria ramirez19February2022Idk if I’m over thinking this but my baby takes similac sensitive all of his formula was recall, Edgar and I went to Walgreens and bought new ones we checked the lot numbers and showed they weren’t recalled we bought 2 of the big containers baby stared being fussy and crying around 8pm. Showered him , feed him , changed him burped him checked temp curada de ojo and nothing helped until around 10pm when he felled asleep around 12 he starts crying non stop I could heard he had mucous cleared up his nostrils (clear mucous came out) seemed to help a little went back to sleep 45 min later and he starts crying placed pacifier and started crying I’m thinking maybe because no milk is coming out, I make him some milk 3oz he intakes around 2.5oz goes back to sleep 30minlater he’s crying again edgar picks him up and vomits milk with a lot of clear phlegm baby seems more comfortable after vomiting everything Esther Myers 19February2022My similac sensitive formula has the k8 in it and expires 4/23. Is it safe or needing to be disposed of?? Tiffany crisostomo 19February2022My son is medically fragile. He is gtube fed only and gets nothing but elecare jr which DOES have the lot that is being recalled. What should we do now? We just found out. It is the weekend and he gets nothing else to eat. Literally nothing. How long would it take to notice symptoms if he were to get sick? Allese Cameron19February2022Hello I just saw this recall my daughter is a breast fed baby I had to leave her overnight two nights ago so I purchased similar advanced the blue in the picture at Walgreens in Ardmore Oklahoma , she only used it overnight but last night she developed a high fever of 102.2 then 103 gave her Tylenol and it went down she been fussy the past couple days it may be a bug she caught but I’m worried about the formula it’s not the recall numbers listed but seems like a strange coincidence and I don’t want any other babies getting sick so I feel I need to report it .Jell Vasquez19February2022Where can I get a refund? This is for my premie twins I don’t have extra money Vicente Aguilar 19February2022My child has been having deep breaths and gasping in sleep. We purchased this product at a Walmart and noticed es the recal, should I be concerned ? Or just wait for his breathing to calm down. Mia Dantone19February2022All of my formula is defected what do I doPriscilla Mendez18February2022Hello the batch I got in January I had one container left that I get from WIC and I checked it and it was recall I already fed the baby the rest what should I do he seems find to me but does have diarrhea Loading Subscribe Latest Stories En Español Research Raising Joy Podcast opens in new window Health Plan News Press Releases Media Library

Contributors

Eline de Bruijn WigginsWriter Eline.DeBruijn@cookchildrens.org

Diane Arnaout, M.D.Medical Advisor for Digital Health

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