Michigan's 'Egregiously Unsanitary' Baby Formula Plant Planning To Reopen

Abbott says it will reopen the Michigan plant at the center of the nationwide baby formula recall.

According to CNBC, Abbott closed the Sturgis, Michigan, plant and recalled multiple baby formula products in February after the Food and Drug Administration found five different strains of Cronobacter — a bacteria that can cause dangerous blood infections — at the facility. Four infants who consumed powdered Abbott formula from the plant got sick with Cronobacter infections and were hospitalized. Two of them died.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf called the conditions at Abbott's baby formula plant in Michigan “egregiously unsanitary.”

“Frankly, the inspection results were shocking,” Califf told House lawmakers on the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. “This is so far removed from my previous experience with the company that I am concerned.”

Califf described bacteria growing from multiple sites in the facility, cracks in key equipment, leaks from the roof, standing water and a previous citation for inadequate hand washing.

“Abbott’s enormous market share left it with a responsibility for producing safe infant formula that wasn’t met,” Califf said. “We will do everything in our power to work with Abbot to make this happen as quickly and safely as possible but this timing is in Abbott’s control.”

According to CBS 62, Abbott says it will reopen the plant on June 4, and supplies should start hitting store shelves about two weeks later.