Personal Injury Law

Beetles Found in Baby Formula Lead to Product Recall

By guest-writer

The maker of a popular baby food formula recently announced a massive recall of millions of containers of Similac powdered infant formulas.

Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturer of the popular Similac baby food, has admitted that beetles were found in some of the containers of baby formula produced in the company?s Michigan factory.

According to reports, the company was first notified of the defective formulas by two consumers who filed complaints of contamination. In response to their claims, the company inspected its plant in Sturgis, Michigan, where investigators found beetles and beetle larvae.

Sources indicate that the broad recall could cost Abbott roughly $100 million in lost revenue. This figure does not include potential defective product lawsuits that may be filed as a result of the tainted food.

While the product recall exposes a frightening defect in the baby formulas, an Abbott representative said the beetle contamination was isolated to only a small percentage of the company?s Similac powdered formulas.

According to Abbott spokeswoman, Melissa Brotz, the company ?did extensive testing of every product on the (factory) line, and more than 99.8 percent of the product? did not show signs of beetle infestation.

In other relatively good news for consumers, the recall does not affect the liquid forms of Similac, which were not found to contain insects.

According to the company, the defective product does not pose a serious health risk to young children. Even if a child were to consume a dead insect, which the company describes as an ordinary household beetle, the child would likely only experience a mild upset stomach.

Independent doctors also suggested that the health consequences for young children after consuming are relatively minor, and that parents should not panic.

For parents concerned about the safety of their baby formulas, the specific products recalled by Abbott were the 8-ounce, 12-ounce, and 12.9-ounce plastic containers of powdered Similac baby formula.

This is the first product recall in a long time for Abbott, which has annual sales of roughly $35 billion.

Each year, thousands of people across the country suffer personal injuries from defective products. These potentially faulty products can range from defective drugs to dangerous food. Other common defective product claims involve automobile flaws, including faulty airbags, defective tires, and failing brakes.

In most defective product cases, the injured person must deal with insurance companies, who are less than eager to provide quick, easy assistance. A lawyer may be able to help you negotiate with insurers in order to secure compensation for your injury.

If you have been harmed by any of the defective products listed above, contact a local injury lawyer today for a free evaluation of you case.

Full post as published by The Injury Blog on October 04, 2010 (boomark / email).