State Laboratory Testing for Sakazakii in Remedia Formula

The state laboratory is testing for Sakazakii bacteria contamination in a batch of Remedia formula for infants. Sakazakii can cause meningitis in children, according to a report on state broadcaster CyBC.

Most of the suspected batch of baby food was prevented from entering the market after it was impounded by customs earlier this week, but checks on six other products produced by the company are going ahead because a small number of them were distributed in Limassol, said Christos Christou, head of public health services.

The names of the products are:

Remedia Baby Food

Multigrain Cereal for children (dates: 01.11.13 & 11.09.13)
Buckwheat Cereal for children (dates:21.09.13, 25.09.13 & 26.09.13)
Oatmeal Cereal for children (dates: 14.11.13)
Semolina Cereal for children (dates:29.03.13)
Cornflour Cereal for children (dates:14.11.13)
Grape Sugar Dextromed for children (dates:10.11.13)  

They were sold from Baby Premium, Shop 4B, Georgiou Avenue, Potamos Yermasoyia, Limassol. Tel 25-323305.

Remedia products have been pulled from the shelves of Israeli supermarkets in the past because it caused the deaths of three infants in 2003. It was also investigated after infants who were fed its formula became ill with fever and vomiting, common signs of meningitis.

In one case, its vegetarian baby formula lacked vitamin B1 and a number of Israeli officials were indicted in the ensuing court case, according to a report by ynetnews.com. Nonetheless, the product is still sold in Russia and is popular in the Russian community.

Consumers are advised to avoid Remedia products until the results of the test come back towards the end of next week, said Christou.

Enterobacter Sakazakii is a highly resistant bacteria that can live in baby powder. According to the FDA, powdered milk-based formulas are not commercially sterile products and can be contaminated by Salmonella and Sakazakii.

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