December 29th, 2011
Last week there was a seemingly isolated report of a Missouri baby that died due to a bacterial infection. The infection was alleged to be spread by a can of Enfamil Premium Newborn formula sold at Walmart. In response, Walmart, Safeway, and Walgreens (among others) all pulled the batch of Enfamil Premium Newborn formula from the shelves as a precaution. However, bacteria testing of formula samples from the presumably infected batch provided negative results. Yesterday, a report surfaced that a third baby has been sickened by the same bacterial strain. The third infant sickened consumed a different type of powdered formula than the first two, leaving the question of how this fairly rare bacteria could infect three babies in the span of a couple weeks?
Cronobacter sakazakii has been linked to formula in the past, killing 120 infants worldwide since 1958 – a small number considering it’s prevalence in the environment. However, it’s propensity to be found in infant formula was only discovered in the 1980s. Powdered infant formula is a relatively easy breeding ground for the bacteria, which thrives in dry environments. Powdered formula is not guaranteed to be sterile and adding water that is not hot enough to kill Cronobacter helps it to grow. The FDA recommends boiling water and letting it cool before mixing it with powdered formula and research has discovered that water that is heated to 158 degrees Fahrenheit or higher can kill the bacteria. Experts caution caregivers to serve formula within a couple hours after it’s been mixed and to keep all parts of the bottle sterile by washing hands and bottle parts with soap and water before preparing.
Despite the possibility that Cronobacter grew in the powdered formulas that the infected infants drank, there has been no evidence to actually implicate them. The FDA is currently testing water and other possible carriers to find the culprit. Nevertheless, experts say that liquid formula has a lower risk of contamination, so it might be prudent to spend the extra money if possible for right now. The lot number of the formula that was pulled from shelves is: ZP1K7G
Do you use powdered formula?
Third infant reportedly sickened by rare bacteria [CNN]
Enfamil Formula Pulled From Shelves [WSJ]
No bacteria found in powder milk formula pulled from Wal-Mart shelves after newborn baby died from infection [
DailyMail]
Third infant infected as U.S. probes baby formula [BaltimoreSun]
Bacteria Tied to Baby’s Death Linked to Formula Since 1980s [
BusinessWeek]
December 28th, 2011
Nancy Kerrigan’s Kids Skate – Sans Tips from Mom [People]
If bill passes, nursing mothers in Michigan excused from jury duty [DFP]
Doctors split on vaccine strategy to shield babies [reuters]
The Pros and Cons of Inhaled Asthma Medicine for Pregnant Women [CBS]
Pediatricians issue a call to aid children facing ‘toxic stress’ [LATimes]
Middle Childhood Is Peak Time for Learning [NYTimes]
FDA Warns Parents About Doses of Pain Reliever for Babies [ABC]
Dido Celebrates First Christmas With Son Stanley [
People]
December 23rd, 2011
Sweet potatoes and bananas make great first foods for babies but processed foods such as crackers, cereal or bread might be setting up babies to develop unhealthy preferences. A new study found that babies who move onto these salty food items are developing an early taste for the seasoning that could last a lifetime.
Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia monitored the eating habits of 61 infants and found that those who ate foods containing salt were more likely to develop a preference for it later on. The infants were tested at two months and six months of age. They were given three different bottles for two minutes each – one contained only water, another had a slightly salty solution (about the equivalent of commercial chicken noodle soup), and the third contained a 2% salty solution – salty even for adults. In general, the two-month-old babies were indifferent to the slightly salty solution and often rejected the 2% salty solution. However, the same babies reacted differently when they were tested again at six months of age. When offered the differing solutions again, the babies who had been exposed to processed foods containing salt had developed a preference for the salty solutions.
The study reveals that an infant’s diet can determine their preferences in the future and stresses the importance of feeding babies a balanced diet with few preservatives. The lead author of the study, Leslie J. Stein, said of the findings: “More and more evidence is showing us that the first months of life constitute a sensitive period for shaping flavor preferences.”
Does your baby eat any foods with salt?
Babies may develop taste for salt via food [UPI]
