Bacteria Found In Dumex Mamil Gold Milk Powder May Be Fatal To Newborns

Dumex Mamil Gold Milk Powder Recalled For Containing Meningitis-Linked Bacteria

This is probably every newborn parent’s worst nightmare.

Just days after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong advised parents not to bow to aggressive marketing for premium milk powder brands, a notable milk formula brand in Singapore has issued an urgent recall.

Turns out, officials detected the deadly Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria in two tins of Dumex Mamil Gold milk formula intended for infants 0-6 months old.

Cases of infection in infants though rare, may prove deadly as the bacteria is known to cause meningitis or sepsis.

Here’s Dumex Singapore’s official statement in full on Monday (20 Aug).

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Symptoms of bacterial infection

The Cronobacter bacterium is also known to survive dry conditions, explaining why it’s still active in milk formula.

Deadlier consequences of this bacterial infection include:

1. Meningitis
   • Swelling of a brain membrane which may cause permanent brain damage due to persistent high fevers.
2. Sepsis
   •  Severe blood infection that spreads throughout the body, proving fatal for newborns with weaker immunity.

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Do seek immediate medical assistance for your child, if they show any of these symptoms after consuming similar milk products:

• Fever
• Poor appetites
• Lethargic behaviour

Made in Malaysia

AVA confirmed that the outstanding stock from the affected batch has been recalled successfully.

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A quick check online shows that the popular milk formula is sold at NTUC, RedMart and even Carousell at around S$45-54.

Parents who’ve bought milk powder tins with these details, should not use them:

Product Name: Mamil Gold Infant Formula Stage 1
Weight: 850g
Batch No: 09117R1
Expiry Date: 11 Sep 2019
Manufactured In: Malaysia

Affected consumers should immediately contact Dumex over the phone at 1800 265 3188 for refund information.

Proper hygiene will help

A key tip to preventing the spread of bacteria is to practice proper hygiene when preparing formula milk for children.

Here are some easy steps that will go a long way in protecting your child:

• Wash hands with soap
• Sanitise feeding bottles
• Prepare milk formula in clean area
• Use hot water (70°C) to make milk
• Throw unused formula within 24 hours

No customer feedback received yet, says Dumex

Dumex says they place a high priority on “food safety and quality”, explaining their “immediate precautionary step” to recall the batch from shelves.

No customer feedback has been received “on the issue to date”, according to their official statement.

However, customers who purchased the product are invited to contact their hotline for an exchange.

Branded doesn’t always mean safe

Trusting brand names for child-related products may often seem like a safe bet for parents.

But this incident proves that it’s still better to be vigilant about practicing proper hygiene standards when preparing formula milk.

We do hope the affected consumers will receive their refunds soon, and know not to use the affected products.

Featured image from Carousell and MediaStoreHouse.