Jan. 22, 2023 – The company at the center of last year’s baby formula recall is under federal criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Abbott Laboratories, which makes 90% of U.S. baby formula, is being investigated by federal attorneys who specialize in the enforcement consumer protection laws, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Abbott makes popular formula brands including Similac, Alimentum, and Elecare.
The company confirmed the investigation but no details were given, according to multiple media outlets. The DOJ declined to comment, NBC News reported.
In February 2022, Abbott voluntarily closed its plant in Sturgis, Michigan. Infants who consumed formula made at the plant became sick and the FDA found the deadly bacteria Cronobacter there. Baby formula made at the plant was recalled, and the plant’s closure resulted in a dire nationwide formula shortage. The plant has since reopened.
In a previous statement, the company said neither Abbott nor federal officials could “find any definitive link between the company’s products and illnesses in children.”Cronobacter infection can cause sepsis and meningitis, and can be deadly in infants, the CDC says. Investigations by the CDC and the FDA linked two deaths to the outbreak.
