In a bulletin posted on their Facebook page, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said that a whole batch of Dumex Mamil Infant Gold Milk has been recalled due to the presence of bacteria.
Thanks to their testing, they found out that the batch, which was said to expire on September 11, 2019 with batch code 09117R1 contained the Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria.
According to the post, while the batch has been completely recalled by the direct importer, Danone Dumex, AVA advises the public to check the milk that they bought, and to not consume the milk or worse, let their infant consume it if they still have it.
In an article on the AVA website, the product is said to have originated from Malaysia, and that the batch sold in 850 gram cans are the ones contaminated.
What is the bacteria in the milk anyway?
AVA said that the bacteria found in the milk, called Cronobacter sakazakii, can survive in dry conditions such as milk formula. Here are some important things to know about this bacteria.
- This bacteria is not generally infectious to normal, adult humans, but to newborns, it can be deadly.
- This bacteria can cause meningitis or sepsis. According to the Birth Injury Guide, Meningitis is an infection of the spinal column and the brain. Sepsis, on the other hand, is when the body attacks its own organs and systems to fight off an infection. Both conditions can cause great harm and death to infants.
- Common symptoms associated with a Cronobacter infection are fever, lethargy, and poor feeding. Parents should note that these symptoms are quite common to other conditions, so it’s best to take your baby to the doctor immediately if they exhibit these symptoms.
What do you do if you have the contaminated batch?
In case you’ve bought the contaminated batch, AVA says to contact the importer for a refund or any other concerns at 1800 265 3188.
What if you’ve fed the contaminated batch to your child?
If you’ve found that your child has ingested the bad batch, please take your baby to their doctor immediately to rule out any infection.
Kids can still get sick from clean formula
Parents are reminded to prepare fresh formula with sterilised utensils, bottles, and other paraphernalia when giving the food to infants.
Previous product recalls
While this has scarier implications thanks to the fact that the affected citizens could be defenceless infants, this is not the first time that products have been recalled in Singapore.
Etude House and Aritaum had to recall some products for the eyebrow when they tested positive for Antimony. While the products seem to not have been sold in Singapore, some Singaporeans may have inadvertently purchased them on trips abroad.
Another recent recall of products was the durian product line from Malaysia. In a report we made on the recall, the durian coffee had poisoned seven people in Malaysia, which prompted the government to recall the coffee here.
The report said that a group of people had drank the coffee that came from one source, and that the coffee sachets seemed contaminated and opened prior to being used.
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