ILLINOIS- American healthcare company Abbot Nutrition has begun to restart their operations at a Michigan baby-formula plant. The plant, which is the world’s largest formula factory, has been closed for multiple months now following a contamination outbreak.
The Sturgis, Michigan plant closed its doors back in February following an FDA investigation on an outbreak of infections in children who consumed products produced in the facility. Two children have died as a result of the outbreak, forcing the company to completely pause its operations.
However, the FDA’s investigation would yield shocking results of poor safety and sanitary protocols, structural issues, and a bacterial contamination in the facility. The government agency had to enter a legally binding contract with the nutrition company to guarantee that the issues had been fixed.
The United States’ current formula supply shortage has only been made worse by the plant’s shut-down however, leading to massive problems. As things stand, it will take around three weeks for the plant to begin full-operations again, focusing currently on producing formulas for children with allergies and issues.
“We will ramp production as quickly as we can while meeting all requirements,” the company stated this week.
The supply problems caused by the shutdown have led to major issues for families with allergic or metabolically disordered children who require special formulas.
About four companies control 90% of U.S. formula production, one of them being Abbot Nutrition. As a result of the nationwide recalls retailers have been pushed into a tight spot in which they’ve had to regulate their supplies.
Manufacturers Gerber and Reckitt have had to up their production to match the surplus of demand, running their factories 24 hours a day.
See also from Business News:
