Nestlé Infant Formula Recalled in the US and Canada for Potential Microbial Contamination

On March 17 and 18, 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)¹ and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)² successively issued notices regarding American distributor, Perrigo's recall of a Nestle branded infant formula suspected of being contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii. The recall happens out of caution, although no positive tests or adverse events have been reported.

The product, sold under the name Gerber Good Start SoothePro in the US and Nestlé Good Start Soothe in Canada, was produced at Nestlé's Gateway Eau Claire factory in Wisconsin, which Perrigo acquired in December 2022 along with the rights to the Good Start's infant formula brand in the US and Canada.

Cronobacter sakazakii-contaminated food may not exhibit any visible or olfactory indications of spoilage, but consumption can occasionally result in severe even deadly infections although not frequently. This bacterium can cause uncommon bloodstream and central nervous system infections, and has been linked to critical intestinal infection (necrotizing enterocolitis) and blood infection (sepsis), primarily among newborns.

Affected Products 

As per the US FDA, the affected products are sold after March 5, 2023 under the following lots:

Product	Gerber® Good Start® SootheProTM 12.4 oz	Gerber® Good Start® SootheProTM 30.6 oz	Gerber Good® Start® SootheProTM 19.4 oz
Lot code	300357651Z – USE BY 04JUL2024 300457651Z – USE BY 05JUL2024 300557651Z – USE BY 06JUL2024 300557652Z – USE BY 06JUL2024 300757651Z – USE BY 08JUL2024 300857651Z – USE BY 09JUL2024 301057651Z – USE BY 11JUL2024 301057652Z – USE BY 11JUL2024 301157651Z – USE BY 12JUL2024	301357652Z – USE BY 14JUL2024 301457652Z – USE BY 15JUL2024 301557651Z – USE BY 16JUL2024	301557652Z – USE BY 16JUL2024I
Product photo

Canada also revealed the information of the affected products:  

China's Warning 

On March 23, 2023, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) issued an advisory warning against the consumption on recalled infant formula from the US and Canada. According to the advisory, the affected products have been neither sold in the Chinese market, nor imported through cross-border e-commerce channels.

However, the investigation by GACC doesn't guarantee the absence of the affected products in the Chinese market, since some Chinese consumers choose to purchase international infant formula from Daigou (overseas shoppers buy products on behalf of customers in China). Thus, GACC called on consumers not to purchase the affected infant formula milk powder through any channels for the time being. Consumers who have already brought the product should immediately stop using it and contact the purchasing channel for return matters.