Infant Formula Safer When Mixed With Juice

Water Mixed with Formula Increases Meningitis Risk in Babies

Jan 16, 2009 Uni Blake

A study shows that mixing wheat-based infant formula with juice and storing it at 4 C (39 F) stops the growth of the meningitis causing cronobacter (E. sakazakii).

Breastfeeding is naturally the best option to feeding babies, however for those who are unable to breast feed the convenience of powdered formula cannot be denied. Experts say that following good hygiene techniques while reconstituting and storing infant formula can limit the growth of most bacteria. This minimizes the risk of infecting infants but when in November 2008 an infant died as a result of an E. sakazakii (also commonly called e-sak) caused infection, the down side of using infant formula was thrust into the news: Formula For Tragedy: Milk-Based Powdered Formula November 21, 2008, CBS11TV Story.

Using Juice to Reconstitute Infant Formula Can Limit Bacteria Growth

This is according to a study published in the December 2008, Letters in Applied Microbiology which provides the use of juice as another safety measure to take to protect against e-sak related illnesses (T.M. Osaili, R.R. Shaker, M.M. Ayyash, A.A. Al-Nabulsi and S.J. "For the Survival and growth of Cronobacterspecies (Enterobacter sakazakii) in wheat-based infant follow on formulas" Letters in Applied Microbiology Early View, December 2008). E-sak has been linked to causing serious illnesses such as infections in the blood stream and central nervous system (meningitis). The contamination probably occurs at the source of manufacturing or during the preparation of the infant milk formula. Proper handling of the formula during reconstitution should be the first step in the defense against the bacteria. To find other possible defensive procedures researched set out to test the hypothesis that maybe the medium could affect the bacteria growth. Researcher’s reconstituted baby formula in water, milk, grape juice and apple juice. They then added the bacteria to the formula and stored the mixtures at temperatures ranging from 4 C to 37 C. The results showed that the safest combinations were the ones where the powdered infant formula was mixed with juice and mixture was stored at 4 C. This combination inhibited the growth of the e-sak.

Outbreaks of E. Sakazakii Infection a Common Occurrence

Outbreaks are found more commonly in neonatal units in health care facilities as premature babies have a higher risk of being infected by virtue of their size and development. A literature search shows that there are documented and studied outbreaks of cronobacter infections. (Van Acker J et al. "Outbreak of necrotizing enterocolitis associated with Enterobacter sakazakii in powdered milk formula." J Clin Microbiol 2001, 39:293-297, and Forsythe SJ: "Enterobacter sakazakii and other bacteria in powdered infant milk formula" Maternal Child Nutr 2005, 1:44-50). E-sak infections have been reported world wide, with three-quarters of the infected infants being diagnosed with meningitis.

Prevent Cronobacterial Infections Such as Meningitis

Proper handling of the formula is important and consumers need to know that baby formula is not sterile and could contain e-sak. Refrigerate or use the formula promptly after mixing it. Store the formula at the recommended temperatures and throw away any unused formula after 24 hours. The American Diet Association issued the “Guidelines for Preparation of Formula and Breast milk in Health Care Facilities” in 2001 to help avert infant formula based infections.

The copyright of the article Infant Formula Safer When Mixed With Juice in Biotech/Pharmaceuticals is owned by Uni Blake. Permission to republish Infant Formula Safer When Mixed With Juice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Comments

Jan 19, 2009 11:33 AM

Autumn Heseman :

It is strange that most outbreaks occur in neonatal units, since most formula there is pre-packaged and mixed and rarely sees air before being given to the infants.

Jan 19, 2009 12:32 PM

Uni Blake :

It is suspected that the bacteria are already in the formula by the time it reaches the neonatal units. Most of the problems were related to the storage of the formula such as leaving the formula at room temperature for extended periods of time.

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