Shuttered U.S. Abbott Baby Formula Factory Resumes Production

Damage from heavy thunderstorms, including flooding, led the Sturgis factory to shut down in mid-June, only two weeks after commencing production with increased sanitizing and safety precautions, Frank Bajak reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: According to Abbott, its products were not directly linked to the infections, which involved various bacterial strains.

Production of EleCare, a specialty formula for infants with severe food allergies and digestive problems, was restored at Sturgis following a July 1 reboot, said Abbott spokesman John Koval. “We are working to restart Similac production as soon as we can. We’ll provide more information when we have it,” he said via email.

In February, Abbott recalled many popular formula brands, including Similac. Supplies were already stressed due to supply chain disruptions and hoarding during the COVID-19 shutdowns. The scarcity was especially severe for children who have allergies, digestive issues, or metabolic disorders and rely on specialist formulas.

Since then, President Joe Biden's government has relaxed import restrictions for foreign manufacturers, flown formula from Europe, and used federal emergency laws to prioritize domestic production.

Abbott is one of just four businesses that manufacture approximately 90% of US formula. Koval would not reveal how much of Abbot's total US infant formula supply is manufactured at the Sturgis factory.

The plant was closed in February after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began investigating four bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula from the plant. Two of the infants died.

According to Abbott, its products were not directly linked to the infections, which involved various bacterial strains. Eventually, FDA inspectors discovered a slew of breaches at the business, including bacterial contamination, a leaky roof, and inadequate safety protocols.

On Wednesday, the FDA announced steps to assist overseas manufacturers of infant formula that had shipped supplies under emergency approval to address the shortage in obtaining long-term approval to market their formula in the United States.

The idea is to provide US consumers with additional options while also making supplies more resilient to present and future shortages.

Dr. Robert Califf, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Susan Mayne, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in a statement that the Sturgis plant shutdown, "compounded by unforeseen natural weather events," demonstrated "just how vulnerable the supply chain has become."

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