Recalled batch of infant milk used earlier at KKH and NUH

Infants under six months of age admitted to KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) and National University Hospital (NUH) between Aug 1 and 20 may have been fed contaminated formula milk while they were in hospital, the Health Ministry said yesterday .

Dumex's Mamil Gold Infant Milk Formula - Stage 1 (850g), which is marketed for infants up to six months old, has been pulled from shelves after samples tested positive for Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a recall on Monday.

MOH was informed yesterday that formula from the implicated batch had been used at the two hospitals, which are contacting parents and caregivers of babies who may have received the infant formula to advise them on what to do.

No cases of Cronobacter infection associated with the consumption of formula milk have been reported to MOH this year, it said.

MOH added that all public and private paediatrics hospitals have been advised to stop using formula from the implicated batch, and to notify the ministry of suspected cases.

Products from the recalled batch expire on Sept 11 next year and can be identified by the batch number 09117R1 printed on the lid of the tin.

While rare, infections by the bacterium can be fatal to infants as it can cause meningitis or sepsis. The bacterium can survive in dry food such as powdered milk.

Infants with Cronobacter infection, which can be treated with antibiotics, may show symptoms such as fever, poor feeding or lethargy, while some may also develop seizures, MOH said. The incubation period typically ranges from four to nine days, but could be up to 21 days.

The key to prevention lies in proper hygiene and preparation of formula milk, it added.

This is the first time a formula milk product has been recalled for failing to meet the AVA's food safety standards and requirements, it said in response to queries.

As a precaution, all new consignments of Dumex infant formula products manufactured in Malaysia will be subject to the AVA's hold-and-test regime. This means that imported products cannot be sold until they pass inspection and tests.

Under the AVA's food safety surveillance programme, certification of food safety and quality is obtained before import, and importers that consistently meet standards and requirements are subject to routine surveillance and sampling.

Dumex, which is part of the Danone group, based in France, said yesterday that the affected batch of 4,200 tins imported from Malaysia has been on sale islandwide since January.

The firm tests every batch that leaves its factory and is working with the authorities to "identify the circumstances that gave rise to the positive samples", a spokesman said.

Paediatricians told The Straits Times they have not seen cases of the infection here.

In the United States, there are four to six cases reported annually.

Dr Yang Linqi from Thomson Paediatric Centre said formula milk can be contaminated by exposure to the environment during the packing process, for example.

Dr Ong Eng Keow, a paediatrician and neonatologist at the International Child and Adolescent Clinic in Mount Alvernia Hospital, cautioned that formula milk can also be contaminated during preparation if proper hygiene procedures are not followed.

"Contamination can happen even after a tin of milk powder has been opened... Bottles and teats should be well sterilised, and the temperature of the water should be above 70 deg C during preparation to kill bacteria," said Dr Ong.

Supermarkets said all products currently on shelves are safe for consumption, and they will give refunds to customers who bought the affected tins from their stores.

The recall has done little to allay the fears of some parents.

Civil servant Jayson Tsu, 33, said he bought a tin from the recalled batch to supplement breastfeeding for his three-week-old son.

"I have completely lost faith in their product... The 2008 China baby milk powder scandal still lingers on many of our minds," said Mr Tsu, referring to milk powder tainted with melamine that left six children dead and thousands more ill in China.

Dumex is the fourth-most popular brand of formula milk in Singapore, according to market research provider Euromonitor International, with an estimated $18.8 million in sales last year.