The baby formula shortage is far from over, but to prevent future scarcity, the United States is taking a critical look at what went wrong earlier this year. On September 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an internal report on the fumbles and mishaps that led to a delay in response to the formula crisis. A number of reasons were listed, including outdated data systems, insufficient emergency response systems capable of managing multiple public health emergencies, and lack of consumer education on how to handle and prepare infant formula. The agency also acknowledged that there are many unknowns about the bacterial contaminant Cronobacter, which was reportedly found in baby formula products from Abbott Nutrition. 

"The baby formula shortage was a perfect storm," explains Jenelle Ferry, neonatologist and director of feeding, nutrition, and infant development at Pediatrix Neonatology of Florida. "You had a combination of COVID pandemic restrictions, supply chain issues, and now you're involving a situation with a company [Abbott Nutrition] that is a major manufacturer of formula products." 

On February 17, 2022, the FDA sent out a warning to consumers to stop using powdered infant formula from Abbott Nutrition after concerns of bacterial contamination in its products. Shortly after, Abbott voluntarily recalled infant formula products and shut down the facility during the ongoing FDA investigation. Before the recall, the company was responsible for 40 percent of infant formula production. The uncertainty of when products would be back on shelves led to panic buying, making them hard to find. "The situation created unrest and distrust of the whole process, and I think families did not know what to believe or what was safe for their babies," says Ferry.