The new edition of Ready Steady Baby that you get through the NHS in Scotland does actually mention now that formula powder is not sterile and it has detailed instructions in line with current guidelines about how to prepare formula feeds that they didn't have in the version I got 2 years ago when pg with DD.
But, as with most things in human nature, even if people's attention is drawn to this fact, they usually just dismiss it. I've frequently heard people say you don't need to do it the 'new way', 'I never did with mine and they were fine', etc. and I've often seen people make up feeds with scrupulously clean bottles and boiled but then cooled water. But then I think most people still actually think that it's the water that carries the risk.
And as I've never even had to attempt to give DD powdered formula (did once buy RTF when DD was 6 months to cover all possible emergencies during an overnight babysitting episode), I feel very, very awkward about pointing this out so I've never done it which is daft, because it's scientific fact and if it was me, I would much rather know...