'Homemade' baby formula prompts FDA warning due to harmful bacteria
UNITED STATES (KSNT) - Parents and caregivers of babies are being warned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to not use a brand of "homemade" infant formula.
According to the FDA, infant formula sold by Plug Heist Trap House should be thrown away by parents and caregivers. This is the result of an FDA investigation into the manufacturer of the formula who was making it out of a residence and selling it online through the Facebook page, "Stephanie PlugHeist Payton."
The manufacturer was marketing the product as an infant formula with no product labeling and did not submit the required pre-market notification to the FDA. Homemade formulas have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety and may lack nutrients vital to a babies' growth.
In the case of formula from Plug Heist Trap House, not only was the formula not manufactured in compliance with infant formula regulations, but it also did not undergo any testing to determine if it met the nutritional requirements for infant formula. Also, the FDA says that it has the potential to cause nutrient deficiencies in infants and may contain harmful bacteria.
Though Plug Heist Trap House has ceased production of the formula, the FDA encourages anyone who purchased this product to stop using it and throw it away. Those who have used the product and are concerned about the health of their child should reach out to their health care provider.
As a general recommendation, the FDA advises parents and caregivers to not make their own homemade infant formula as the recipes for them have not been regulated by the FDA. To learn more about FDA regulations on infant formula, click here.