The Food and Drug Administration issues a notice for a recalled infant formula that was distributed in eight states

An infant formula made by one of America’s “Big Four” manufacturers has been recalled for the second time – after the companies continued to sell the tainted powder.

Michigan-based Perrigo urged Americans to stop using certain batches of Gerber Good Start SoothePro formula in mid-March when tests discovered bacteria that could be fatal to babies less than two months old lurking in the formula.

But on Sunday, the product had to be recalled again after it was discovered that the powder had been sent to independent grocery stores in eight different states even after the alert was sent.

Americans who purchased the powder were urged to throw it in the trash immediately and contact Perrigo for a refund.

While no illnesses have been reported, the FDA urges parents to look out for fever, malnutrition, and excessive crying if their baby is consuming formula.

The notice was reissued on May 14 by the food distribution company Associated Wholesale Grocers, which admitted it was still selling the product.

“Any consumer who has purchased a product…should stop using it and get rid of it,” they said.

The recalled batches have been sent to eight states. These were: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

On March 17, Perrigo issued a recall notice for nine batches of Gerber Good Start SoothePro™ Powdered Infant Formula.

They said the move was made out of “extreme caution” after tests showed the formulation was contaminated with Cronobacter sakazaki.

These bacteria are found naturally in the environment and are particularly adept at surviving dry, low-moisture foods — like baby powder.

It is harmless to most people, but in rare cases it can be fatal for babies under 2 months of age because it can get into the blood or cause swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

It wasn’t clear how the bacteria got into the baby powder, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says this can happen if the formula comes into contact with a contaminated surface or if the ingredients used are already contaminated.

Perrigo was also recalled due to bacteria in 2019, when contamination was detected in its formula sold at Walmart.

All infected infant formula was made between January 2 and January 18.

Gerber Good Start is aimed at babies up to 1 year old, with marketing claiming the formula can help with excessive crying, fussiness, and gas.

Currently out of stock on the Gerber website.

There are only four companies that manufacture infant formula in the United States: Abbott Laboratories, Mead Johnson, Perego Company plc and Nestlé.

This incident brings back horrific memories of the horrific shortage of infant formula that hit the United States last year.

Formula shortages erupted in February when Abbott Laboratories closed its Sturgis plant and began a recall while food safety regulators were investigating a possible fatal contamination.

The plant was responsible for producing nearly a fifth of American formula and is a major supplier of the specialized formulas that children with special needs depend on to survive.

This led to parents hoarding formula, which made the shortage worse.

Nine months after the crisis began, about a third of American families say they still have trouble obtaining infant formula, according to a mid-November survey from the Census Bureau.

Empty shelves continued to appear through March of this year, but reports of parents struggling to feed their children subsided.