News article

Nestlé recommends unsafe preparation practices for its probiotic formula

July 24, 2007

A Nestlé formula marketing blitz targeting health care providers contradicts CDC and World Health Organization guidelines on formula safety, putting infants at risk of life-threatening infections.

The brochure features a new Nestlé formula that contains a probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis. In a mailing to US health care providers, the company instructs caregivers to make sure that the water used to reconstitute formula is not heated above 37.8°C (100°F), so as not to inactivate the added bacteria. This contradicts guidelines on powdered infant formula published by the World Health Organization, which say that water must be heated above 70°C (158°F). The WHO recommendation was issued after multiple outbreaks of serious infant infections from bacterial contamination of powdered formula from Enterobacter sakazakii.

E. sakazakii is a bacterial contaminant commonly introduced during the manufacturing process of powdered formula, according to the World Health Organization. This bacteria has led to serious illness and death in infants, including meningitis and sepsis. If caregivers follow Nestlé’s instructions not to heat water above 37.8°, any E. sakazakii contaminants in the formula will remain active. Formula-based outbreaks of serious infant infections with E. sakazakii have occurred throughout North America.

Younger infants and premature infants are most at risk for serious infection from this bacteria. This is why CDC researchers recommend that powdered formula should not be fed to any infant under four weeks of age. This recommendation is not mentioned in Nestlé’s promotional materials. E. sakazakii infections occur almost exclusively in infants exposed to contaminated formula.

As part of its marketing blitz, Nestlé has contacted radio stations throughout the US, offering an interview with a pediatrician entitled, “Do You Feel Fearful of Formula Feeding? ‘Don’t be scared,’ say experts!” The interview promised new information on formula, especially the “benefits” of anyone being able to feed the baby, not having to pump or schedule work and activities around the baby’s feeding schedule, and not having to feed the baby so frequently. However, the company later retracted this part of its campaign, saying it was not sure it would move forward with the interviews. Nestlé has timed the launch of its product, Bifidus BL, to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week, which begins August 1.

The intestinal tracts of breastfed babies are usually colonized with harmless bifidus bacteria, such as the kind Nestlé is putting their new product. The intestinal tract of formula fed babies are colonized with the same species of bacteria found in the intestinal tracts of adults, including many bacteria that have the potential to cause invasive and serious infections.

References:

Bowen AB, Braden CR. Invasive Enterobacter sakazakii disease in infants. Emerg Infect Dis 2006; 12(8):1185-1189

WHO/FAO. Safe preparation, storage and handling of powdered infant formula: guidelines. Link