Nestlé Recalls Good Start Soothe Infant Formula Due to Possible Bacterial Contamination

Bacteria can cause severe intestinal infection and blood poisoning, especially in newborns

An image of the recalled product in Canada: Nestlé® Good Start Soothe™ 942g Infant Formula. Perrigo announced the voluntary recall of a limited quantity of the product on March 17, 2023. (CNW Group/Perrigo)

Nestlé has recalled its Good Start Soothe infant formula due to possible presence of a bacteria that can be deadly to newborns and premature infants.

Health Canada issued the recall notice on March 18, warning consumers not to consume or use the possibly contaminated product, which could contain Cronobacter sakazakii.

Any Soothe formula with the batch number 301757651Z, 301757652Z, or 301857651Z, with expiry date on the package of July 18, July 18, and July 19, 2024, respectively falls under the recall.

“Food contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick,” according to the recall notice, adding that although it is not commonly linked to human illness, “in rare cases it can cause serious or fatal infections.”

“Cronobacter sakazakii can cause rare bloodstream and central nervous system infections and has been associated with severe intestinal infection (necrotizing enterocolitis) and blood poisoning (sepsis), especially in newborns,” said the warning.

Nestlé triggered the recall of the formula, sold nationally across Canada in 942-gram cartons, Health Canada’s notice stated, while noting that there have been no reported illnesses yet associated with consumption of the formula.

In a March 17 news release, the distributor, Perrigo Company, said it was issuing a voluntary recall of one sku of the product that was produced at the company’s manufacturing facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in January 2023.

The product is being recalled “out of an abundance of caution,” said Perrigo.

Cronobacter sakazakii is a common bacteria that causes no symptoms in most people, the news release said. However, it said that “in some, particularly premature infants, infants under 2 months of age or infants with weakened immune systems fever, poor feeding, excessive crying or low energy as well as other serious symptoms can occur.”

The company said “no distributed product has tested positive for the presence of this bacteria, and no adverse events have been reported.” No other Nestlé Good Start products in Canada are affected by the recall, according to Perrigo.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which could lead to the recall of other products, the Health Canada notice said. The CFIA is also verifying that the recalled products are removed from the marketplace.

Customers who have purchased the formula are asked to contact Nestlé Consumer Services for reimbursement and then dispose of the product. The company can be reached by phone at 1-800-387 4636 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST, by email at [email protected], or by contacting the company at https://www.madewithnestle.ca/help/contact.

Perrigo on Nov. 1, 2022, acquired Nestlé’s Gateway Eau Claire, Wisconsin, plant, along with the U.S. and Canadian rights to the Good Start® infant formula brand. It operates the Good Start® infant formula brand in the United States and Canada and also provides other over-the-counter health and wellness products.