U.S. regulators have historically inspected baby formula plants at least once a year, but they did not inspect any of the three biggest manufacturers in 2020, according to federal records reviewed by the Associated Press.
The FDA has consistently inspected infant formula facilities annually. But in early 2020, the FDA pulled most of its safety inspectors from the field because of the COVID pandemic. So it skipped thousands of routine plant inspections.
The gap in baby formula plant inspections is getting new scrutiny from Congress and government watchdogs after a Michigan factory had to be closed for contamination, turning a supply shortage into a crisis that sent parents scrambling to find formula.
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