An Austin, Texas, mom said she was outraged and disgusted when she saw something strange in her son’s baby formula. Jessica Chavez reportedly found a worm in a can of Enfamil NeuroPro Gentlease infant formula she purchased from Amazon in February. She wants other parents to be aware and to be sure they are thoroughly checking their infants' formula before serving it.
The discovery comes on the heels of a nationwide formula shortage that has affected millions of Americans in the last year, as well as a recall of another Enfamil formula back in February. Mead Johnson Nutrition, the maker of Enfamil, told KXAN the company takes complaints seriously and is investigating. But Chavez still worries.
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The young mom made the discovery on Monday.
Chavez told KXAN that she noticed something strange in the formula while making a bottle for her 8-month-old son, Amato. “I was scooping up some formula, and then I noticed something black inside the powder,” she said.
When she fished it out, she noticed it was moving and soon realized it was a worm. She looked back in the can and claimed she saw another worm. That's when she called Enfamil.
Chavez had been giving Amado formula from that delivery for weeks.
During her interview with KXAN, Chavez said Amado is not feeling well. “He recently started having diarrhea, and I’m not sure if it’s associated with the worms.”
She said she plans to have Amado tested for parasites and hopes this does not happen to another family. Chavez is disappointed in the company and said that as a consumer, you expect companies to have proper quality control so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen.
Mead Johnson Nutrition responded immediately.
Enfamil’s producer said it contacted Chavez directly and is moving quickly to investigate the situation, according to a statement to KXAN. Chavez received a refund for her purchase, and the New York Post reported that representatives from Mead Johnson would pick up the formula from Chavez’s home to perform further testing.
On February 19, Reckitt, who owns Mead Johnson, voluntarily recalled two batches of Enfamil ProSobee 12.9 oz Simply Plant-Based infant formula due to a potential bacteria exposure. Though the company said the formula went through extensive testing and did not show signs of bacteria before distribution, it would refund consumers.
Formula shortages and recalls can wreak havoc on American families.
It is terrifying when parents don’t have access to the proper formula for their babies. Because of several recalls and production issues, a nationwide formula shortage hit Americans hard beginning in early 2022, and some places are still recovering. Parents continue to scramble to find the right formula for their children, which can be increasingly difficult if they require a hard-to-find specialized version.
Although things have improved markedly in the past 12 months, parents aren’t out of the woods, and some have continued to struggle finding specific formulas.
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Parents need to stay vigilant and keep up to date with recalls.
Because contaminated formula potentially could be deadly, parents must keep their eyes and ears open. If you discover a can of recalled formula in your home, follow the steps from the manufacturer for proper disposal and to receive a refund.
In response to the latest recall, Enfamil posted a statement on its website that reads in part:
“The health and safety of infants is our highest priority. All of our products undergo rigorous and industry leading quality tests and checks to ensure that they meet or exceed all standards set by regulatory bodies, including the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is for this reason that we have the highest level of confidence in the safety and quality of every infant formula we make.”
