A bacterium was found in the production line of Materna Mehadrin stage 1 infant milk formula. Recently, consumers reported a shortage of Materna baby milk formula. According to the company the contaminated products did not leave the factory.

Nestlé/ Osem reported that the Materna factory discovered a bacterium called Cronobacter in the Stage 1Mehadrin milk powder. This is from the family of intestinal bacteria, which can cause fever and meningitis which can lead to the death of babies. 

The Cronobacter bacterium may also cause sepsis: infection of the blood. It harms in a way that may be severe mainly in babies less than two months old, babies with a weakened immune system and premature babies. The signs of the disease are fever (sometimes with convulsions) and lack of appetite, prolonged crying, uncharacteristic body movements and weakness.

Cronobacter thrives in dry foods such as baby milk formula and dry tea mixes. The bacterium can enter the powder if the manufacturer uses contaminated ingredients to produce the formula, or if the powder comes into contact with a contaminated surface. When making or feeding a baby infant milk formula, you must use sanitized surfaces, hands washed with soap and bottles that have been sterilized.

This morning the company announced "The Materna Company is informing this morning (Tuesday) about an expected shortage of Materna Stage 1 Mehadrin, due to the stoppage of production at the factory for maintenance. The stoppage is due to recently found microbial findings that exceed the accepted standard during the production of Mehadrin Stage 1 products. These findings were discovered within the framework of quality control processes and strict routine tests, which we perform in the factory on an ongoing basis and before releasing products to the market. The Ministry of Health was immediately informed by us."

"Production at the factory was halted for several days, which led to shortages mainly of products from Materna Stage 1 Mehadrin line. We are doing everything we can in order to return to production of all Materna products in the coming days, in order to overcome these deficiencies. The quality of the products and the well-being of consumers are at the top of our priorities. The Materna Nutritional Counseling Center is available for you at 1-800-32-33-33. Materna operates in full coordination with the Ministry of Health. We apologize for the inconvenience

The Nestlé / Osem company invited 'Professionals from the Ministry of Health to come to the factory in order to conduct additional checks in order to make sure that no products with a risk of infection have indeed reached the stores."

"From the company's reports - all the products that were distributed to stores passed the required tests and this in accordance with the standards that are required in the relevant regulation for these products.

"The Ministry of Health continues to constantly monitor and verify that food businesses fulfill their responsibility towards the consumer to maintain food safety in order to protect public health."

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