Retailers pull formula from shelves after infant’s death

Several more national retailers have joined Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in pulling a batch of powdered infant formula from their shelves after a Missouri newborn who consumed it apparently died of a rare bacterial infection.

This photo provided Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, by the Holman Howe Funeral Home, shows Avery Cornett of Lebanon, Mo., who died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. Federal health agencies are testing samples of liquid and powdered infant formula and some distilled water used to prepare the powder by the Missouri parents of a 10-day-old boy who died from an apparent bacterial infection. Cornett died Sunday night after he was fed Enfamil Newborn powder bought at a Walmart store in Lebanon, Mo. The store has stopped selling the product, and the company pulled a batch of the infant formula from more than 3,000 of its stores nationwide. (AP Photo/Holman Howe Funeral Home) Close

Officials at Supervalu Inc., Walgreen Co., Kroger Co. and Safeway said Friday they have removed cans of Enfamil Newborn with the lot number ZP1K7G from various stores across the country. They say it’s a precaution until health officials complete tests on the formula.

Ten-day-old Avery Cornett died Sunday after getting sick several days earlier. Preliminary hospital tests indicated he died of a rare infection caused by bacteria known as Cronobacter sakazakii.

 

The source of the bacteria that caused the infection hasn’t been determined, but it can be found in dried milk and powdered formula.