The manufacturer of Similac®, Alimentum® and EleCare® issued a voluntary recall last week for some of its baby formula products. The recall affects select powder baby formula products from those brands following consumer complaints of illness in infants.

This recall does not affect all Abbott products. It only affects the specific powder products (liquid formulas are not impacted). The Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to use products that are part of the recall.

The manufacturer of the recalled products, Abbott, has posted the most current information on the recall on www.similacrecall.com, including how to identify affected products. A hotline has also been established to answer questions by calling (800) 986-8540.

If you use Similac®, Alimentum® or EleCare® baby formula products, check the lot number on each individual container of your baby formula to see if they are part of the recall. Products not affected by the recall do not require action and can continue to be used. 

The lot number is near the expiration date on the bottom of each individual container.

For caregivers and parents impacted by the recall:

• Do NOT switch to other milk alternatives (cow, goat or non-dairy milk, such as soy, oat, almond, rice, hemp, cashew or coconut milks). Only feed your baby breastmilk or infant formula.
• Do NOT add more water to your baby's formula to make it last longer. This is very dangerous and may result in severe illness and death.
• A list of alternative formula products can be found by here.
• If you care for a child on a specialized formula, such as Elecare® or Alimentum®, please contact your care provider.
• If your child has been fed with the recalled formula and develops changes from her normal behavior, such as poor appetite, changes in mood (difficult to console or overly sleepy compared to baseline), or symptoms of fever, rash, diarrhea, vomiting, yellow skin and whites of the eyes, grunting breaths and abnormal movements, call your pediatrician or healthcare provider.

Additional information is also available here.