Do Not Give Recalled Similac and Pedialyte Products to Children
Although the situation is not as dire as it was at the beginning of this year, the problem of the unprecedented shortage of baby food has not yet been resolved . And if you managed to get your hands on some of them, you’ll want to check the label: Abbott Labs recently announced a voluntary recall of several of its Similac branded products, as well as some batches of Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution. According to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA ). Here’s what you need to know.
Why is the formula now being withdrawn?
It has been a tough year for parents and caregivers who rely on formula to feed their babies. Supply chain and ingredient availability issues, as well as Abbott’s massive recall in February 2022 – after several children were hospitalized with bacterial infections linked to certain formulas – have made already expensive products even more difficult to obtain.
This time around, Abbott is voluntarily recalling some Similac ready-to-drink liquid formulas and Pedialyte products because their bottle caps may not have been completely closed during production. This can spoil the liquid and cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting when consumed.
What formulas are part of the recall?
This recall is much smaller than the one issued by Abbott in February. All products that may have a problematic bottle cap were manufactured at the company’s facility in Columbus, Ohio.
According to Abbott , a defective bottle cap is present in less than 1% of recalled lots, which, according to the FDA, “corresponds to less than a day’s worth of total ounces of infant formula dispensed in the US and is not expected to decrease.” affect the overall supply of infant formula in the US.”
The recalled products have been distributed to hospitals, doctors’ offices, distributors and retailers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and include certain batches of the following 2 fl oz/59 ml ready-to-drink liquids:
- Similac 360 Total Care
- Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive
- Similac Special Care 24
- Similac Pro-Total Comfort
- Similac NeoSur
- Pedialyte electrolyte solution
If you have any of the 2 fl oz/59 ml products listed above, check this page on the Abbott website to see if their lot numbers are among those included in the recall. The page also contains diagrams showing the location of lot numbers on different packages.
What to do if you have a recalled product
If you are found to have Similac or Pedialyte products included in the recall, do not give them to your children (or do not consume them yourself, in the case of Pedialyte) and contact Abbott customer service for further instructions. You can reach them at 1-800-986-8540 in the US and +1-787-622-5454 in Puerto Rico.