Recalled Gerber Baby Formula Still Shipped to Retailers After Notice

Gerber infant formula subject to a voluntary recall due to potential contamination with a harmful bacterium was distributed to U.S. retailers following the initial notice, the Food and Drug Administration announced.

The recalled product is the Gerber Good Start SootheProTM Powdered Infant Formula.

In a statement published on Sunday, the Ireland-based Perrigo Company said it initially issued the recall in March as a precautionary measure, citing the risk of certain products tainted with the pathogenic Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cronobacter infections in infants can be deadly. The germ, found naturally in the environment, can sometimes live in powdered milk, herbal teas, starches and powdered infant formula.

Infected infants under two months of age or those with compromised immune systems may exhibit symptoms such as fever, feeding difficulties, excessive crying or lethargy, as stated by the FDA.

Containers of Gerber Good Start SoothePro Powdered Infant Formula manufactured between January 2 and January 18 at the company's Eau Claire, Wisc., facility are affected by the recall, per the news release.

In the statement, Perrigo explained that the product was sent to retailers in the Nashville region of Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc., a cooperative wholesale distributor, after the first recall notice on March 17.

The 12.4-ounce variant of the infant formula was received by independent retailers affiliated with Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia after the specified date.

Perrigo's statement on Sunday urged consumers who had purchased the product in these states to inspect any remaining stock thoroughly. They asked for customers to check the following codes and "use by" dates at the bottom of the package:

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

In addition, the company emphasized that individuals possessing the recalled formula should refrain from using it and dispose of it instead.

According to a news release, the Perrigo Company has not reported any instances of its products testing positive for the bacteria or any associated illnesses.