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February 23, 2022
Media contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, ORCOVID19.Media@dhsoha.state.or.us
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Health Authority is warning Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program participants to be on the lookout for powder infant formulas that may be contaminated with Cronobacter or Salmonella bacteria.
The Food and Drug Administration last week announced a voluntary recall of certain powder formulas manufactured by Abbott at its Sturgis, Mich., facility due to the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella Newport bacteria.
Products included are all sizes of these powdered formulas:
- Similac Advance
- Similac Sensitive
- Similac Alimentum
- Similac Total Comfort
- Similac for Spit up
- EleCare Infant
- EleCare Junior
Oregon WIC, which is among state WIC programs across the country that have contracts with Abbott for infant formulas, recommends participants check Abbott’s website at www.similacrecall.com or call 1-800-986-8540 to see if their formula is affected. Participants can take affected products to the store where they bought them for exchange or refund.
Those concerned about their infant’s health should immediately contact their health care providers. Oregon WIC also recommends parents and caregivers never dilute infant formula, or make or feed homemade infant formula to infants.
Cronobacter causes rare but serious infection in infants; Salmonella is a common cause of diarrhea and may cause more serious (bloodstream) infections in infants. So far, there have been four reports of illness in the eastern United States associated with the infant formula.
OHA has asked Oregon laboratories to notify the agency of any cases. None have been reported to date.
Parents whose infants have consumed the formula but remain well need take no action – just return any unconsumed formula to the place where it was purchased.
Oregon WIC has communicated with participants, stores and vendors to assist families affected by the recall. It also has obtained waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, which funds WIC, to provide other formulas and allow vendors to exchange WIC formula during the recall. Oregon WIC is working with vendors and stores so participants can purchase Mead Johnson, Gerber, and store brand formulas with their eWIC card.
The WIC Shopper App that participants use to purchase supplemental foods includes all information about the recall in multiple languages. The WIC Shopper App is available in the Apple Store or Google Play: https://ebtshopper.com/download/.
WIC participants can contact their local WIC agency for assistance.
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