A total of 616 packs of infant formula that may contain the Cronobacter bacteria have reached retail outlets in the country. It mainly attacks immunocompromised individuals, with premature babies aged between three days and four years at risk. Petr Vorlicek, a spokesman for the State Veterinary Administration (SVS), said on Tuesday.
The Veterinary Administration said that the infant formula in question is a powdered goat’s milk formula called Our Milk from the manufacturer Godim, with a production date of February 26, 2022, and a minimum shelf life of October 31, 2023.
Nearly 300 units went to a wholesaler that supplies goods to pharmacies. Less than 60 packs were sold on the online shop Alza.cz, and the rest of the goods were taken by more than 45 retailers.
“All wholesale recipients of infant formula have been informed and asked to block the product in their warehouses and withdraw it from the sales network within one month of receiving the notification,” the SVS said.
The manufacturer has produced over 1,000 units of infant formula. The Czech Veterinary Administration was alerted to the possible presence of the bacteria by Slovakian supervisory authorities, where about a third of the production was directed.
The disease caused by the bacterium is rare but serious. The bacterium usually is part of the intestinal microflora of warm-blooded animals and can survive mainly in dry and warm places.