How would you feel if you suddenly saw that your baby’s formula had maggots in it?
“I don’t want anyone else’s baby to consume worms”
Taylor Seyler, a new mom from Missouri, breastfeeds her child exclusively. However, she wanted to supplement her child’s feeding by using baby formula. To her horror, she noticed that the formula her child was drinking had maggots in it.
She immediately took the bottle away from her child, poured the contents down the drain and confirmed that the milk indeed had maggots in it. She took photos as well as a video and shared them on Facebook where they have been shared over 43, 000 times.
According to Taylor, “I was aware. Didn’t really think anything of it, but it happened to me and now I don’t want it to happen to anyone else. I don’t want anyone else’s baby to consume worms. That’s really gross.”
The safety seal was removed
According to a report by KSHB, they asked the company that made the formula, for a statement regarding the matter. Here is their response:
“Parents can be confident that our infant formulas are safe. A third-party entomologist has reviewed the photos and concluded that based on the life cycle, and the age and size of the Indian meal moth larva in the photos, they entered the product after it left our facilities and the safety seal was removed.”
They also added, “Indian meal moths are very common and can often be found in kitchen pantries inside flour and cereal.”
Not an isolated case
In spite of the explanation, Taylor’s case isn’t an isolated one. Another mom, Helen Williamson, had the same experience with a different baby formula.
“I happened to glance over at the bottle and saw you know waves. I pick up the bottle and hold it in the light and I see worms like inching up. Pick up the can and looked in it and saw pieces of the formula moving inside the can.”
According to a statement from formula manufacturer, they said that they haven’t received any complaints regarding that specific batch of formula. They also added that the can was opened by the consumer before it had been used.
Williamson said that she was disappointed by the statement, and said that it wasn’t the first time that it had happened.
Keeping your family’s food safe
While we can’t really know the exact reasons why the food was contaminated, it’s important to know what you can do to avoid you and your children’s food from getting contaminated. Here are some tips:
- Always make sure to check the expiration date on all the food that you purchase.
- When buying fresh fish or meat, make sure that they do not have any strong odors. Your senses are your best bet when it comes to freshness.
- Check the seals on the food that you purchase and make sure that they haven’t been tampered with or damaged.
- Make sure to cook food thoroughly. A quick and easy rule is to cook them until the meat is no longer pink. For fish, cook it until the flesh is opaque and flaky.
- Always wash your hands whenever handling food, or whenever you touch any dirty surfaces.
- Always keep your kitchen clean. Wash cutting boards in warm water, and make sure to use a separate one for meat, and another one for vegetables and fruits.
- Never assume that your food is clean. Before feeding your child (or even yourself), thoroughly check and inspect your food. Don’t let yourself be distracted by your phone or the TV and absentmindedly feed your family something that could cause them harm.
- Make sure to look at and inspect all of the food that you’re giving your child. These days, it’s easy to get distracted by our phones or when we’re watching the TV while feeding our kids, but we should always take a moment to check if the food that our children are eating is really safe.
Sources: kshb.com, myfox8.com, kidshealth.org
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