Due to the second incident with an infant becoming sick with a rare bacteria, a Walmart in Missouri has decided to preemptively pull containers of its dry powder Enfamil Infant Formula from shelves. The retailer believes the formula may be to blame because it was the brand being consumed by a 10 day old baby that recently died due to a rare infection with Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria.  A second infant also contracted the same bacteria, but the brand of formula he/she ingested is not being released, and luckily the  he/she recovered.

A representative for the company stated that the bacteria is, “pervasive throughout the environment so investigators look at everything,” including the formula. Tests of the formula both prior to shipment and after the baby’s unfortunate passing, tested negative for the bacteria.  This article suggests that perhaps the bacteria may have been present at the hospital where the babies were born. I personally wonder whether it was the water mixed with the formula that contained the bacteria, particularly following the neti pot complications.  Here is a link to a helpful article discussing how to safely prepare formula.

Enfamil reportedly accounted for 40% of infant formula sales in the U.S. in 2008. The batch code for the relevant formula was ZP1K7G.  There has been no government or retailer recall of the formula. Click here for more recent recalls.