NEC Infant Death, Illness from SimplyThick
An active investigation and nationwide safety alert have been launched after two babies died and at least 13 others were sickened after consuming SimplyThick brand of thickening agent added to formula and breast milk.
Babies are at risk of illness or death from SimplyThick, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. Symptoms to watch for include: Bloated stomach. Greenish-tinged vomiting. Bloody stools. The illness is known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), where intestinal tissue becomes inflamed and dies.
Parents are urged to seek immediate medical attention for sick infants who have consumed SimplyThick. A public resource for SimplyThick NEC infant death or illness is available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free), or via contact form at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. Our national food safety and child safety law firm has collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning and infant safety hazards.
Karl Klontz, M.D., a medical officer in FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, says the severity and scope of the problem became apparent this month. The agency is aware of 15 cases of NEC, including two deaths, involving premature infants who were fed SimplyThick mixed with mothers’ breast milk or infant formula products. The mixture was fed to infants for varying amounts of time.
