"Breast Milk Recall Alerts: Safety Concerns in 10 States"

Concerns Arise Over Recalled Bottles of Breast Milk

There are few things in life more special than welcoming a new baby, soaking up every cuddle and coo (not to mention that new baby smell!). Amid late-night feedings and countless diaper changes, some generous mothers find a way to support other families by donating extra breast milk—or they do so after the loss of a little one as a way of honoring their memory while helping others. Donated breast milk—which goes through screening, testing, and pasteurization processes at approved milk banks across the country—serves several important purposes, according to the Mothers' Milk Bank, part of the Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation. Human milk donations can be a "critical source of nutrition for premature and ill infants in the hospital" or bridge a gap for parents who either aren't able to provide breast milk immediately or at all due to medications, insufficient supply, or other health concerns.

Pasteurization concerns in Ohio for milk distributed to eight other states

An "ongoing" recall alert, shared publicly Tuesday by the FDA, warns of a possible pasteurization issue affected 5,735 units (also described as bottles) of human donor milk from the Ohio Health Mother Milk Bank in Columbus, OH. According to the OhioHealth Mothers' Milk Bank website, the program distributes more than 35,000 ounces per month to at least 50 U.S. hospitals. Per the FDA's report, the recalled human donor milk was distributed to nine states: Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia. An "inaccurate temperature reading from a thermometer on one pasteurization machine" prompted the recall, according to the FDA. An online standards document from the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), an organization that accredits nonprofit milk banks in the U.S. and Canada, indicates that "Pasteurization is required to safeguard donor milk from biological hazards, like viral and bacterial contaminants." Though the bank is based in Ohio, donations, which are kept frozen until pasteurization procedures, are also sent in from "across the country," says the milk bank's website.

"Foreign material" issues in Michigan

A second recall, first announced by the FDA in July, concerns 209 total bottles of pasteurized donor human milk connected to the Henry Ford Milk Bank-Jackson in Jackson, MI. The FDA's report lists the recall reason as "Foreign material (plastic particulate from outer closure) between immediate closure (foil seal) and outer closure (plastic cap)." The milk bank's website says they offer "processing and dispensing guidelines" based on recommendations from the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and blood and tissue industries. Though the Henry Ford Milk Bank's website says the bank "serves families throughout Michigan and beyond," the recalled milk was reportedly only distributed within the state of Michigan.

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