CFIA urges Canadian consumers to check infant formula for 'tampering'

In a statement issued yesterday (June 2), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said it had become "aware of reports of product substitution and/or tampering in infant formula products."​

"Infant formula products have been found where the outer cases and containers are intact by the product inside may have had the tamperproof seal broken and may contain a different products (brand and/or variety),"​ it said.

Incidents such as this are "not typically associated with the manufacturing process but occur occasionally when a consumer returns altered products to the retail store for a refund,"​ it said.

No illnesses have been linked to the complaints, but CFIA has urged consumers to "examine the containers to ensure the security seal is intact and has not been altered or the product substituted."​

"If you have a product that appears to have been altered, do not use or consume it,"​ it added.

In July 2014, CFIA, Walmart Canada and Mead Johnson issued a statement advising the public that some bottles of Enfamil A+ Ready-to-Feed infant formula had been discovered with "the tamperproof seal broken and blue tape applied in its place."

Rather than infant formula, the bottles of Enfamil A+ Ready-to-Feed were found to contain water and infant formula residue.

Following three complaints, Walmart removed bottles of Enfamil A+ Ready-to-Feed infant formula from shelves in a number of stores in the Toronto area.

No additional bottles were found to have been tampered with.