The United States’ largest baby formula manufacturer has reopened its shuttered Michigan plant.
Abbott Laboratories in Sturgis reopened infant formula production on Saturday after meeting FDA restrictions agreed to last month.
The factory will begin resuming manufacture of specialized and metabolic formulae on June 20, with these items likely to hit shop shelves around that time.
Abbott will then resume production of all other formulas, with the plant previously estimating that stock replenishment would take six to eight weeks.
When Abbot closed its Sturgis plant in February due to a bacteria contamination, it triggered a nationwide baby formula shortage, which has since worsened.
According to data from Datasembly, out-of-stock rates in the United States rose to 74 percent for the week ending May 28, up four percent from the previous week.
In addition, ten states, including Arizona, Mississippi, California, Nevada, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Louisiana, Florida, and Washington, now have out-of-stock rates of 90% or higher.
Georgia is the state that has been hit the hardest, with a rate of 94 percent, up from 74 percent the week before.
The FDA has worked to make it easier to import foreign-produced baby formula in order to alleviate the shortage.
On Saturday, Abbott announced the reopening of its Sturgis factory, a step toward alleviating a statewide supply deficit that is likely to last into the summer.
The shutdown of the country’s largest formula manufacturer in February caused supply issues, forcing some parents to seek formula from food banks, relatives, and doctors’ offices.
Abbott will first focus on producing EleCare speciality formulas for newborns with severe food allergies and digestive issues who have few alternative nutritional options.
It will take around three weeks for new formula from the factory to appear on store shelves, according to the business.
‘We will ramp production as quickly as we can while meeting all requirements,’ a company statement read.
‘We understand the urgent need for formula and our top priority is getting high-quality, safe formula into the hands of families across America.’
Abbott added: ‘We’re committed to safety and quality and will do everything we can to re-earn the trust parents, caregivers and health care providers have placed in us for 130 years.’
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