Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/ask-dr.-sue-infant-formula-preparation-and-variety-bleach/5011297/
Infant Formula PreparationToo many child care centers accept bottles of milk prepared at home. When a bottle with liquid formula or other non-human milk comes to a child care facility in a container that was not factory sealed, the bottle may have bacteria or viruses that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. As more infants come into child care, providers must adopt safe practices for handling formula.
All infant formulas start as powders. For ready-to-feed forms and concentrates, the manufacturer adds water. Stores sell fluid cow milk that has been pasteurized at the dairy to reduce the bacterial load. Generally, regulators carefully monitor the path of milk to the supermarket to be sure it is safe.
When families prepare bottles at home, they may do so under circumstances that can introduce bacteria and viruses into the bottles. The family member may have touched contaminated surfaces at home, or not washed carefully after using the toilet. During home preparation, those germs may end up in the milk. When the parent transports the bottles at uncertain or hazardous temperatures, the organisms in the milk can grow. These bottles are usually refrigerated for a period of time at the child care facility, then reheated ...