LI grocers scan shelves for recalled baby formula

Long Island grocers began scanning their shelves to see if they are stocking any contaminated containers of Similac, a popular infant formula whose manufacturer issued a recall Wednesday after learning some samples could contain insect parts.

"We have to go through every one," said Mike Tinervia, a manager at Waldbaum's in Melville, adding he has to check lot numbers to see if the dozens of containers on his shelves are affected. "Whenever recalls come through, we have a good protocol to address it."

At King Kullen in Manhasset, manager Anthony Moccia said employees had received an e-mail from the corporate office about the recall and the store was checking lot numbers to see if it had been selling a bad batch.

Similac's manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, said it was voluntarily recalling up to 5 million containers of the infant formula in powder form because they may be contaminated with small beetles or larvae that could cause stomach ache and digestion problems.

The company said the problem is confined to certain Similac powder products in plastic containers and others in sizes such as 8-ounce, 12.4-ounce and 12.9-ounce cans.

Liquid formulas were not affected, Abbott said.

The formulas were sold in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and some Caribbean countries.

Melissa Brotz, a company spokeswoman, said Abbott uncovered the insects last week in one section of a Michigan manufacturing plant.

"We immediately shut down that one area and began an investigation," she said. "We're in the process of resolving it now."

The Michigan plant is being fumigated. Brotz said the company has been consulting with the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA said on its website that it "has determined that while the formula containing these beetles poses no immediate health risk, there is a possibility that infants who consume formula containing the beetles or their larvae, could experience symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort and refusal to eat as a result of small insect parts irritating the GI tract."

Abbott has set up consumer hotline at 800-986-8850 and the website similac.com/ recall, where consumers can enter the lot number on their containers to determine if they are subject to the recall.

The products may be returned to Abbott for a full refund.

"Delivering anything less than the highest quality infant formula is unacceptable to us," said Brotz. "We will do whatever is necessary to maintain the trust of parents in the coming weeks."

With AP