Health Inspectors Visit Enfamil Baby Formula Factory As Part Of Investigation Into Bacterial Infections

As part of an ongoing investigation into bacterial infections of Cronobacter that killed an infant last week, U.S. health inspectors visited an Enfamil baby formula factory run by Mead Johnson Nutrition Co., the makers of the formula in question.

Reuters says the visit is standard procedure by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a Mead Johnson spokesman. The company performed its own tests and say they found no Cronobacter bacterium.

“Because Cronobacter is so commonly present throughout the environment, we expect they are looking at a large number of other possible sources — water, clothing, bedding, preparation and use surfaces,” said Mead Johnson spokesman Chris Perille.

“This is standard operating procedure for them, and we would expect that they have also had inspectors visit production facilities for various other products/items they are testing as part of this investigation,” he added.

Rival formula makers say they haven’t been visited by health inspectors. Wal-Mart and other stores pulled one certain lot of 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn after a 10-day-old baby died in Missouri. Another child, who was exposed to various brands of formula, became sick from Cronobacter as well.

Previously: Walmart Pulls Baby Formula From Shelves As Precaution Following Death Of Newborn

Mead Johnson confirms FDA visits in Enfamil probe [Reuters]

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