Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Modified Most Probable Number Assay to Quantify Salmonella in Raw and Ready-to-Cook Chicken Products
08:19

Modified Most Probable Number Assay to Quantify Salmonella in Raw and Ready-to-Cook Chicken Products

Published on: January 31, 2025

Powdered infant formula as a source of Salmonella infection in infants

Sarah M Cahill1, I Kaye Wachsmuth, Maria de Lourdes Costarrica

  • 1Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. sarah.cahill@fao.org

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
|January 4, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Powdered infant formula can contain harmful Salmonella bacteria, leading to infant illness. Enhanced surveillance and a multi-faceted approach involving manufacturers, regulators, and caregivers are crucial for managing this risk.

Area of Science:

  • Food safety
  • Microbiology
  • Pediatric health

Background:

  • Powdered infant formula (PIF) is not sterile and can harbor pathogens like Salmonella enterica.
  • Contaminated PIF has been linked to multiple outbreaks of Salmonella infections in infants.
  • Low levels of Salmonella in PIF can evade routine detection, complicating identification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the risk of Salmonella contamination in powdered infant formula.
  • To discuss the challenges in detecting low-level contamination.
  • To emphasize the need for a comprehensive strategy to mitigate risks.

Main Methods:

  • Review of reported Salmonella outbreaks linked to PIF.
  • Analysis of surveillance data and laboratory capabilities for Salmonella serotyping.
  • Discussion of detection limitations in routine testing.

Main Results:

  • At least six infant Salmonella outbreaks were linked to PIF consumption in recent years.
  • Unique Salmonella serotypes and robust surveillance networks aided outbreak identification.
  • Low bacterial loads in formula often challenge routine detection methods.

Conclusions:

  • Salmonella contamination in PIF poses a significant risk to infant health.
  • Current surveillance and detection methods may underestimate the true incidence of infections.
  • A collaborative, multidimensional approach involving manufacturers, regulators, and caregivers is essential for effective risk management.

More Related Videos

A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.06:55

A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.

Published on: November 7, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Reservoir of Infection01:30

Reservoir of Infection

Infectious diseases arise from intricate interactions between pathogens and their reservoirs. A reservoir of infection refers to the natural habitat where a pathogen lives, grows, and multiplies, serving as a continual source of infection. Reservoirs are broadly classified as either living or nonliving, and each plays a unique role in disease transmission, significantly influencing public health interventions and control strategies.Humans act as reservoirs for a wide array of pathogens,...
Sources of Food Contamination01:29

Sources of Food Contamination

Contamination of food by microbial agents and natural toxins poses significant risks to public health. These hazards can be introduced at various points across the food supply chain, ranging from environmental sources to processing and storage stages. Understanding these contamination pathways is critical for developing strategies to ensure food safety.Seafood is particularly vulnerable to contamination through both environmental exposure and microbial colonization. Toxins from harmful algal...
Investigation of Disease Outbreaks01:23

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks

Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
Bacterial Gastroenteritis01:18

Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Bacterial gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, is often caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water and is frequently associated with pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. These microbes exploit two principal mechanisms to inflict disease.Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, also referred to as STEC—notably O157:H7—release Shiga toxins that target ribosomes, blocking protein synthesis. The B subunit of the toxin binds the host glycolipid receptor...