Business & Tech

Walmart Stores Pull Baby Formula From Shelves After Missouri Infant's Death

Romeoville store says Weber Road location is not affected by the voluntary recall of Enfamil Newborn formula.

More than 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide are voluntarily pulling Enfamil Newborn formula from shelves after the death of a Missouri baby earlier this week.

An employee at the Weber Road store said the Romeoville is not affected by the unofficial recall, saying the store did not stock any formula with the affected lot number.

“We went through everything and made sure,” the staffer said Thursday. “We double checked, we triple checked — we do not carry [that lot number]. Thank God it wasn’t us.”

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Although the Food and Drug Administration has not issued an official recall, Walmart stores began pulling the 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn from shelves after 10-day-old Avery Cornett died from an apparent bacterial infection after being fed formula sold at a Lebanon, Missouri, Walmart. The Lebanon Daily Record reported that the infant died Sunday after contracting a rare bacteria known as Cronobacter sakazakii.

What parents should know about the unofficial recall:

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  • Affects 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn powder 
  • Lot number ZP1K7G
  • Customers can return Enfamil Newborn powdered formula to Walmart for a refund or exchange it for another brand.

A Walmart spokesperson told The Lebanon Daily Record that Walmart made the decision to pull the product from shelves “out of an abundance of caution.”

“We have removed the remaining product from [the Lebanon, Missouri] store's shelves and we are also notifying all other stores across the country to remove product of the same lot number as well,” spokeswoman Dianna Gee said.

Formula manufacturer Mead Johnson Nutrition told The Chicago Tribune that powder from the batch in question tested negative for the bacterium before it was shipped.

In a press release, the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services recommended parents follow these guidelines when preparing infant formula:

  • Wash bottles, nipples, caps, rings and all utensils thoroughly with soap, water and brushes. Sterilize in boiling water for five minutes.
  • Bring water for formula to a boil for two minutes and let the water cool before mixing formula.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water and dry with a clean towel before preparing formula.
  • Before opening the formula container, make sure the expiration date has not passed.
  • Clean the lid. Shake the container well if it is liquid formula.
  • Use only the scoop that comes with your formula.
  • Once prepared, infant formula can spoil quickly. Feed the baby immediately or cover the bottle and refrigerate at 35-40°F (2-4°C) for no longer than 24 hours for powdered formula, or 48 hours for concentrated liquid formula.
  • Do not use prepared formula that has been at room temperature for more than one hour.
  • Throw out any formula left in a bottle after a feeding. Germs can grow easily in the formula that is left in the bottle.
  • Store powdered formula in a dry area at room temperature. Avoid excessive heat.
  • Do not freeze any form of infant formulas.
  • Tightly cover cans of powdered formula. Use within one month of opening.
  • Use unopened formula by expiration date.


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