(New York) The United States Department of Justice is investigating the Abbott Laboratories infant formula factory in Michigan, which was closed for several months last year due to contamination.
The closing of this factory in February 2022 was one of the main causes of the national shortage of infant formula, which forced parents to turn to food banks, friends and even medical clinics. Production was able to resume in June.
The Department of Justice informed Abbott that it was conducting an investigation, while the company assured that it was “fully cooperating” with the proceedings. Its spokesman, Scott Stoffel, declined to provide further details, however, in an email to The Associated Press.
the wall street journal was the first media outlet to reveal the existence of this investigation, which aims to understand the reasons why production at the Sturgis, Michigan plant had to be put on hold.
Abbott shut down its factory operations when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began investigating four bacterial infections in infants who had consumed powdered formula from the factory. Inspectors found several violations at the plant, including bacterial contamination, a leaky roof and lax safety protocols.
Abbott, however, maintains that its products were not directly linked to the infections, which involved different bacterial strains.
Abbott is one of four companies that produce 90% of America’s formula for making infant formula.
Problems at this plant forced the recall in February of products from several major brands, including Similac. At the same time, they reduced product availability, which had already been strained by supply chain disruptions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The shortage particularly affected children with allergies, digestive problems and metabolic disorders who need specialized formulas. The Abbott factory is the sole source for many of these products.
The FDA was heavily criticized for waiting months before closing the plant, but also for the time that elapsed before it reopened.