Oregon WIC participants warned of infant formula recall due to bacteria

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Health Authority is warning Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program participants to be on the lookout for powder infant formulas that may be contaminated with Cronobacter or Salmonella bacteria.

The Food and Drug Administration last week announced a voluntary recall of certain powder formulas manufactured by Abbott at its Sturgis, Mich., facility due to the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella newport bacteria.

Products included are all sizes of these powdered formulas:

• Similac Advance
• Similac Sensitive
• Similac Alimentum
• Similac Total Comfort
• Similac for Spit up
• EleCare Infant
• EleCare Junior

Oregon WIC, which is among state WIC programs across the country that have contracts with Abbott for infant formulas, recommends participants check Abbott’s website at www.similacrecall.com or call 1-800-986-8540 to see if their formula is affected. Participants can take affected products to the store where they bought them for exchange or refund.

Those concerned about their infant’s health should immediately contact their health care providers. Oregon WIC also recommends parents and caregivers never dilute infant formula, or make or feed homemade infant formula to infants.  

Oregon WIC has communicated with participants, stores and vendors to assist families affected by the recall. It also has obtained waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, which funds WIC, to provide other formulas and allow vendors to exchange WIC formula during the recall. Oregon WIC is working with vendors and stores so participants can purchase Mead Johnson, Gerber, and store brand formulas with their eWIC card.

The WIC Shopper App that participants use to purchase supplemental foods includes all information about the recall in multiple languages. The WIC Shopper App is available in the Apple Store or Google Play: https://ebtshopper.com/download/.

WIC participants can contact their local WIC agency for assistance.