SimplyThick, a product used to thicken breast milk and formula, should not be used to feed premature babies, the FDA warned yesterday. According to the agency, the additive may cause life-threatening damage to children’s intestines. Since May 13, 15 cases of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with symptoms of abdominal bloating, greenish-tinged vomit and bloody bowel movements, have been reported in addition to two deaths.
Commonly used since the 1960s as a thickener in many different processed foods, the active ingredient in SimplyThick is xanthan gum, a byproduct of the Xanthomonas campestris bacteria.
ACSH advises parents to stop feeding SimplyThick to their premature infants immediately and to consult their pediatricians if they have been feeding their babies this product.
