Recent advice issued by the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency includes new safety measures for bottle feeding.
Why have new measures been introduced?
Recent research has shown that bacteria can contaminate powdered formula milks during the final (handling and filling) stages of the manufacturing process.
Formula powder is heat treated during manufacture and until recently this was thought to prevent most bacterial contamination.
However, in a new European survey, almost half of the formula samples had traces of bacteria.
The chances of a baby becoming infected is extremely low with only about 50 cases reported worldwide and most of those babies who did become ill were premature, low birth weight or had weak immune systems.
What are the changes?
There are three main changes.
1. Feeds should be made up with water that is 70°C or more. At this temperature it takes only four seconds for any bacteria to be killed. Boil the kettle, then leave it for half an hour to cool before making up the feed. If you don’t want to boil the whole kettle, one litre takes no more than 25 minutes to cool down and half a litre needs only 15 minutes to cool down.
2. Make up each feed, as it is needed. Warm milk is a breeding ground for bacteria so making up bottles in advance is no longer advised, though cooling a bottle quickly by running it under a cold tap and then storing it in the fridge at below 5°C does prevent bacteria from growing. While it is not easy to anticipate when a baby is going to wake up (and therefore when to boil the kettle and let the water cool) it may be easier to put a measured amount of formula aside in a sealed container (Tommee Tippee Milk Powder Dispensers are ideal) and have a flask of hot water ready to make up the feed.
3. Once you have made up the feed you must cool it to the right temperature for the baby. You can do this by holding the bottle under the cold tap. When tested on the inside of the wrist it should feel neither warm nor cold on your skin. Babies enjoy their feeds at room temperature, which may seem just lukewarm to you but is just right for the baby.
The European Food Safety Committee also suggests that premature babies and those with weak immune systems who are being formula fed may benefit from read-to-feed formula rather than powdered formula. Ready-to-feed formula is sterile.
What hasn't changed?
1. Sterilise all feeding equipment
2. Clean the surface on which you are making up the feed (Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature® sterilisers have their own sterile work surface on which to make up bottles)
3. Wash the hands thoroughly before making up a feed
4. Follow all the instructions on the tin and don’t use more – or less – powder than it says as your baby could become ill.
5. Throw away used formula and never re-heat or re-use it.
Last Updated: May 06, 2008
