According to Food Safety News, the FDA has acknowledged that between December 1st, 2021 and March 3rd, 2022 the Agency received a 128 consumer complaints, including nine fatalities among babies consuming various brands of formula manufactured by Abbott Nutrition manufactured in the Sturgis, MI plant.

Delays in reporting the extent of cases has angered Congress and specifically, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, (D-CT).  She commented on the delay from initial reports in September 2021 through to withdrawal of formula in February 2022. She commented adversely including inaction following receipt of a comprehensive whistleblower report in September 2021.

Pathogens identified among the infants included Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella spp. in addition to some infants who yielded Shigella and Clostridioides difficile that were not directly related to the Sturgis plant.

This incident and the subsequent revelations regarding inactivity confirm the impression that FDA is a “broken agency” and that consumers of the U.S. would be better served by a dedicated food safety agency paralleling similar agencies in the E.U. and the U.K. staffed with competent and dedicated personnel as advocated by EGG-NEWS.