China Customs has issued a warning to consumers not to buy or eat certain Abbott Laboratories infant and baby products that were involved in a recent recall linked to a U.S. facility.
In a post published on its website on Sunday (Feb. 20), the General Administration of Customs alluded to a Feb. 18 notice issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioning customers against buying or eating specific batches of Abbott baby formula products.
After four infants reportedly became ill, Abbott voluntarily recalled many of its baby formula products. According to the FDA, the powder formulae were circulated across the country and possibly exported to other countries.
The four infants, located in Texas, Ohio, and Minnesota, were hospitalized after being diagnosed with cronobacter sakazakii and salmonella Newport infections. According to the FDA, one of the infants may have died from cronobacter.
Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powder formulas are among those affected by the recall. Check the number on the bottom of the container to see if you have a product affected by the recall. If it begins with the digits 22 through 37, has the letters K8, SH, or Z2, and has an expiration date of Apr. 1, 2022 or later, it should be discarded. According to the corporation, all of the recalled formulae was manufactured at its Sturgis, Michigan, facility.
While the affected formula goods were not offered directly in China, China Customs advised that some people who purchased them through cross-border e-commerce should stop using them.
However, one affected item, a Similac human milk fortifier, had been distributed in China, and Abbott had issued a voluntary recall of the contaminated batch, according to the statement.
Abbott stated in a statement that it had issued a recall for a batch from the Michigan manufacturer, but that other items it sold in China were not affected. Abbott's stock plummeted by 3.1% on Monday.
Following China Customs' announcement, consumers in other countries have been urged to stop using Abbott formula products.
The Omani Ministry of Health issued a warning on Monday against using two Abbott infant milk powder formulas owing to the possibility of bacterial contamination.
According to Saudi official media, Oman's declaration came after the Saudi Food and Drug Authority issued a similar warning over three Abbott baby milk powders.
Abbott has put up a website where you may check to see if the lot number of your powder formula is included in the recall: https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/product-lookup.html. Consumers can get additional information on how to request a refund or replacement by visiting www.similacrecall.com or calling Similac customer care at 1-800-986-8540.
