Abbott Nutrition to Reopen Michigan Baby Formula Plant June 4

Abbott Baby Formula Plant Reopening Overview: 

• Who: Abbott Nutrition has announced it plans to restart work at the Michigan plant that was temporarily shut down due to fears of infant formula contamination
• Why: The closure of the plant has caused shortages in speciality baby formula
• Where: Sturgis, Michigan

Abbott Nutrition has announced it plans to restart work next week at the Sturgis, Michigan, plant at the center of the nationwide baby formula recall and shortage.

On May 24, Abbott announced it would restart production June 4, with the first batches of formula expected to be available to consumers on or around June 20, CNN reported.

The first formulas to be put into production will be EleCare and other specialty metabolic formulas certain babies rely on, as they cannot drink cow’s milk. 

Abbott will also release about 300,000 cans of EleCare Specialty Formula on a case-by-case basis to people who need it urgently, according to CNN. 

This formula was not a part of the company’s recall, but it has been on hold at the Sturgis plant because the agency was concerned it was produced under “insanitary conditions.” 

Agreement with FDA

The news comes after Abbott Nutrition reached an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which allows the company to reopen its baby formula plant.

The plant was closed in February as regulators investigated the source of a salmonella and Cronobacter sakazakii contamination following the deaths of two babies who had consumed Abbott’s Similac PM 60/40 baby formula.

The FDA and Abbott have now reached an agreement on a reopening plan in the midst of an ongoing nationwide shortage of baby formula.

As part of the agreement, Abbott must, at their own expense, “retain or continue retention” of an outside expert who does not have any personal or financial ties to the company and can help bring it into compliance and avoid future bacterial contamination. 

Abbott Says It Has Been Working on Improving Safety at Plant

Abbott has said it was already working on improving health and safety regulations at the plant prior to it being shut down by the FDA, according to court documents.

In February, two senators demanded Abbott turn over documents related to its baby formula recall after it came to light that the company, the FDA, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention knew since September 2021 the formula had been making babies sick. 

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