Beetles found in Popular Baby Formula

I got this email from a reader this morning that is very alarming. Beetles and lavae were found in Similac powdered baby formula and the company is doing a voluntary recall. However, the website where you can type in your lot number is impossible to get to. I tried 6 times today and can't get it to load. There is now a PDF version on the website. Several stories on the web say too many people are trying to get on the site at the same time.

Dad, Joe DeSario, sent me this email this morning about what happened to him:

I have a new baby boy and we have been feeding him the formula that has been recalled. 2 containers that are finished have been recalled and 1 new container that i just bought has been recalled.

I am wondering... why the news channels haven't really been covering the story much? I just happened to stumble across the recall info. I went into (a popular store) to return my unopened container of formula and they hadn't even heard of the recall. They had to dig into it and hadn't yet pulled anything from store shelves. My recalled container was still able to be sold. This was yesterday evening. The(company's)website still doesn't have the recall info when I search for Similac.

Also the Similac recall site is extremely slow and almost impossible to check lot numbers to see if your product is recalled or not.

FROM ABBOTT: Abbott Voluntarily Recalls Certain Similac® Brand Powder Infant Formulas That Did Not Meet Its Quality Standards.

Abbott is initiating a proactive, voluntary recall of certain Similac-brand, powder infant formulas in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and some countries in the Caribbean.

Abbott is recalling these products following an internal quality review, which detected the remote possibility of the presence of a small common beetle in the product produced in one production area in a single manufacturing facility. The United States Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) has determined that while the formula containing these beetles poses no immediate health risk, there is a possibility that infants who consume formula containing the beetles or their larvae, could experience symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort and refusal to eat as a result of small insect parts irritating the GI tract. If these symptoms persist for more than a few days, a physician should be consulted.

The recall of these powder infant formulas includes: Certain Similac powder product lines offered in plastic containers. Certain Similac powder product lines offered in 8-ounce, 12.4-ounce and 12.9-ounce cans.

To immediately find out if the product in your possession is included in this recall, parents and caregivers should visit www.similac.com/recall/lookup, and type in their lot number to determine if their product is affected, or call (800) 986-8850.

No Abbott liquid infant formulas are impacted. Products not involved in the recall include all Abbott Nutrition liquid ready-to-feed and concentrated infant formulas and all powder and liquid specialty formulas, such as Similac Expert Care™ Alimentum®, Elecare ®, Similac Expert Care™ Neosure ®, Similac® Human Milk Fortifier, and metabolic formulas for inherited disorders.

About the Recall

• The company is implementing a plan to address this matter in the affected manufacturing facility, which is expected to be completed shortly. No other facilities or products are involved in this recall.
• Abbott has consulted with the U.S. FDA regarding this recall.

Information for Parents and Caregivers

• Products with affected lot numbers should be returned to Abbott at no cost to the consumer.
• Parents and caregivers can go to www.similac.com/recall/lookup or call Abbott's consumer hotline, (800) 986-8850, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Both the website and the consumer hotline have specific details on how to complete the return process.

Holger Liepmann, executive vice president, Abbott Nutrition said:

"Abbott understands that parents expect to feed their children only the highest quality product. We are taking this action so that parents know that the infant formula products they provide unquestionably meet the highest quality standards for which they are known. We regret any inconvenience this situation poses to parents and consumers."

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's website at www.abbott.com.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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