Washington. A baby formula factory whose closure led to shortages of the product in the United States is resuming production, its owner, the Abbot company, said on Saturday.
The Michigan plant has met the US government’s initial health requirements for reopening, Abbot said in a note. The factory was shut down in February after the deaths of two babies and prompted a voluntary product recall over fears of possible bacterial contamination.
The maker, which controls 40 percent of the US infant milk market, said it was “working hard” to also restart production of another brand popular with American families, Similac, as well as the rest of its range.
“We understand the urgent need for infant formula and our first priority is to bring safe, high-quality milk to American families,” the statement said.
The first world power had been experiencing problems with its infant milk supply for some time, linked to the covid-19 pandemic, when Abbot announced the withdrawal of products suspected of having caused the death of two babies, as well as the closure of its factory , which caused a severe shortage.
The group has already apologized profusely during a congressional hearing.