WASHINGTON — Abbott Labs said Friday it is recalling some ready-to-feed liquid baby formula, citing a bottle cap defect.
The recall involves certain lots of 2 fluid ounce/59 milliliter bottles from the brands Similac Pro-Total Comfort, Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution, Similac NeoSure and more. The company said less than 1% of the bottles in the recalled lots have faulty caps that may not have sealed completely, which could lead to spoiled product.
"Intake of a spoiled formula product could result in gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea," the company said in a statement.
The company stressed in its announcement that the recall involves "less than a day's worth" of the total amount of formula used in the U.S. and it's not expected to impact the overall supply of baby formula.
The February shutdown of an Abbott plant in Michigan contributed to a national shortage of baby formula, which the country is still dealing with.
The products included in this new recall were manufactured at the company's Columbus, Ohio, manufacturing facility.
The company said these formula products are also produced on another manufacturing line not impacted by the recall, so consumers should verify the lot numbers on the bottom or the side of the bottles to determine if it's included in the recall.
You can visit the recall site to see the full list of lot numbers impacted by the recall. The company urges consumers to not feed the recalled products to their children.
Certain lots from these brands recalled in the US.:
- Similac 360 Total Care
- Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive
- Similac Special Care 24
- Similac Pro-Total Comfort
- Similac NeoSure
- Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution
Abbott reassured consumers that the recent recall is not related to the Sturgis powder recall from their Michigan plant.
The company recalled several leading brands of formula in February, including Similac. That squeezed supplies already strained by supply chain disruptions and stockpiling during COVID-19 shutdowns. Abbott is one of just four companies that produce 90% of U.S. formula.
The shortage was most dire for children with allergies, digestive problems and metabolic disorders who rely on specialty formulas.
The plant was closed in February after the Food and Drug Administration began investigating four bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula from the plant. Two of the babies died. The company says its products have not been directly linked to the infections, which involved different bacterial strains.
Abbott Labs reopened their Michigan plant in July.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
