Over 4M pounds of base powder for Enfamil baby formula being shipped to US, FDA says
Reckitt's facility will produce base powder to manufacture 5.7M cans of Enfamil Stage 1
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Over 4 million pounds of base infant formula powder will be shipped to the U.S. from Reckitt's Singapore facility as officials try to ramp up imports from overseas to ease the pain felt by parents across the nation.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it gave Mead Johnson Nutrition, a division of Reckitt, the green light to import the powder that will be used to produce about 5.7 million cans of Enfamil Stage 1.
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That will be equivalent to more than 66 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles, according to the FDA.
Shelves for baby and toddler formula are partially empty, as the quantity a shopper can buy is limited amid continuing nationwide shortages, at a grocery store in Medford, Massachusetts, U.S., May 17, 2022. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder / Reuters)
According to Reckitt, the move will help feed more than 130,000 additional babies per month, on average.
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The powder will be shipped starting in June to "a Minnesota facility for conversion to final product that will be made available in the coming weeks," according to federal officials. However, there will be monthly shipments through November.
Empty infant formula shelves are seen at a Target store in New York, New York, U.S. June 5, 2022. Picture taken June 5, 2022. (REUTERS/Jessica Dinapoli / Reuters)
"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is evaluating options for getting the product to the U.S. as quickly as possible," the FDA said.
In May, the FDA said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. while the nation continued to battle a shortage that has left parents and caregivers in dire need.
On May 16, the agency outlined "increased flexibilities regarding importation of certain infant formula products to further increase the availability of infant formula across the country while protecting the health of infants."
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The FDA's announcement regarding the additional shipments Wednesday came hours before Abbott Nutrition said it was forced to pause production at its Michigan baby formula factory due to severe weather.
The facility restarted production earlier this month after being shuttered since February over contamination issues that contributed to the national shortage.
The company expects production and distribution to be delayed for a few weeks as it cleans the plant.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.