Right now, we know that you have questions about the safety of your child’s infant formula, especially given the recent recall of another brand's infant formula.
At Nara, your baby’s safety is our highest priority. We take a multi-layer, proactive approach towards product quality and safety.
Screening for sulfite-reducing clostridia (SRC) and C. perfringens
Every batch of infant formula we manufacture is screened for a group of bacteria known as sulfite-reducing clostridia (SRC), and also screened for C. perfringens.
- SRC (sulfite-reducing clostridia): This is a screening tool that is used to identify spore-forming bacteria that thrive in certain conditions, including the kinds of conditions where bacteria related to botulism could survive
- C. perfringens: This bacteria belongs to the clostridial species and, like C. botulinum, forms spores. Screening for C. perfingens is a helpful secondary marker for any contamination issues alongside testing for SRC
Think of SRC and C. perfringens testing like a smoke detector — it helps flag conditions that might need closer investigation.
If anything ever looks unusual in our screening tests, our plan includes immediate escalation with additional testing in order to identify and characterize the specific nature of the bacteria, and most importantly, it informs our next steps in determining and eliminating the cause and ensuring quality and safety.
What about a direct test for botulism?
There is no simple, routine test for botulism. Testing for botulism is a complex, multi-test process and that’s why direct screening is difficult. At Nara, we run SRC and C. perfringens tests on every batch because, even if they are not a direct C. botulinum test, they help identify problems and tell us if more testing is needed.
Nara's quality and safety program
We’ve built a multi-layer preventative safety program into our process from ingredient qualification, environmental monitoring, process control, and finished product testing.
Screening for SRC and C. perfringens in our routine testing program is a critical step, yet only one example of our quality and safety measures. It reflects our commitment to safety because finished product testing alone is not enough in any critical food safety program.
Read more about our manufacturing process and heavy metal testing. And be in touch if you have specific questions, we’re here for you.
