bacteria in formula powder

[iloveeatingbogeys]

Please forgive in me advance for my very basic knowledge regarding bacteria and their optimum living conditions.

There seem to have been several threads lately on the correct preparation and storage of infant formula milk. It appears that some people are not aware that formula powder is not sterile and are not allowing boiled water to cool to no less than 70°C when preparing a feed. So my question is, how can bacteria can live and grow in a powder?

Made up formula should be used within 2 hours if left at room temperature. 24 hours if in the fridge and 4 hours if in a cool bag with ice packs

From nhs:

If it isn't possible to follow the advice above, or if you need to transport a feed (for example, to a nursery), prepare the feed at home and cool it for at least one hour in the back of the fridge.

Take it out of the fridge just before you leave and carry it in a cool bag with an ice pack, and use it within four hours. If you do not have an ice pack, or access to a fridge, the made-up infant formula must be used within two hours.

• If made-up formula is stored in a fridge, use within 24 hours.
• If made-up formula is stored in a cool bag with an ice pack, use within four hours.
• If made-up formula is stored at room temperature, use within two hours.

Tommee tippee perfect prep machine. Honestly, revolutionary

They are not recommended by the NHS as they don't use a large enough hot shot of water and hasn't been shown to stay hot enough to adequately kill all the bacteria.

My best friend is a health visitor, she bought it for me! She often tells me the official line and then the, honest this is what i would do line.
I cant see them being sold and used so widely without them being tested tho? And use it when I'm in the house, out and about I use cartons or boiling water making up a bottle and adding to and ice pack, used within 4 hours.
My health visitor (not my friend she isnt mine officially) didnt say anything about them not being recommended?

Just had a quick google. The nhs said they can't reccommend them as there is insufficient evidence and they were tested in their private labs. Im sticking with mine, its amazing and I'm sure it's fine

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.firststepsnutrition.org/pdfs/Statement_on_making_up_formula%2520safely_Mar_2015_final.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwj_yvnHpOfPAhVLJcAKHYByC_QQFggdMAE&usg=AFQjCNFvD-ezBQR12dDqZCbG7yqws9luFQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pdf about perfect prep

Yes I wouldn't use the machine at all.

I used to use aptimel comfort, made bottles in advance, cooled and kept in the fridge. Just give them a good shake they should be fine. They will be less gloopy once warmed up although you might still need to go up a teat size. I also wouldn't use Gaviscon at the time.

Thats the one I just read. Doesn't give me enough proof to not use it. Just says insufficient evidence really.
They are fab, better than faffing on with bottles and a quick read through this thread shows me how different everyone does it and how often the advice changes.

Faffing on with cooler water for bottles*

The advice hasn't changed since my pfb was born in 2008, fwiw.

Am I right in thinking the Perfect Prep machine is for immediate use? I would have thought that makes a difference.

Are bacteria killed by stomach acid?

Yes immediate use. I have a 5yr old and a newborn and was told different advice for both. I do live in different areas, that might be why.

My book from newborn specifies how to make up formula safely. It is the boiling water from fresh method. I'm 30. It's no new advice

I just don't understand why the made up formula HAS to be kept in the fridge for 24 hours (or less as you would likely go through them quicker) - theoretically - you are making the bottle up with boiling water - killing the bacteria, in a sterile bottle, so once that is sealed (and not used so no saliva contact yet) why that is not classed as sterile and safe to keep - everything should be as dead as a dodo after the boiled water so nothing is going to come back to life in the time it is sitting coming back to room temp? I can only assume the pre-made formula bottles/cartons are made this way and they are kept out of the fridge until opened!?

As for the tommee tippee - I thought I had found the solution BUT - aren't you meant to use boiled water for the bottle and that is only giving one shot of not even fully boiled water (boiling is 100 degrees + and tommee tippee is only at 70 degrees - i understand this is sufficient to kill what it needs to kill) and the rest is topped up with the cold tap water ?? or are you meant to add cooled boiled water to the machine only?

Seriously - this has to be the biggest ball ache on earth! why can't they just regulate the bloody powder??

THe powder could be sterilised. The issue is that even if your sterilise the powder, it will only be sterile for the first bottle you make from each tub as once it's open stuff could get inside.

The easiest way really is to make fresh. You can buy really good small flasks from hiking shops that keep the water between 70-100 for at least 12 hours ( many are hot still after 24 sonif you boightbone and used within 12 you would know it was still hot enough). Then at bedtime just boile water and fill flask. Use that water overnight. Do the same when outside. At home just use the kettle

The cartons are heat treated so they are sterile (like uht milk) whereas the milk you make up hasn't been exposed to the same temperature. The hot water may not have killed all bacteria which is why you put it in the fridge - to slow it down so it doesn't reach levels that can cause a problem. Saliva isn't the issue

The cool water in the tommes tippee goes through a special filter. The shot of water that goes in is boiling. You put in the powder in swish it around untill it dissolves then you press the button and the filtered water goes in. I cannot tell you how muxh easier it is in the house

There's a useful leaflet on making up bottles here OP.

And here's another leaflet that talks of the potential contamination with harmful bacteria and how to try to avoid infection.

Are bacteria killed by stomach acid. Unfortunately not. It's rare but there have been deaths previously.

Sorry,posted on the wrong thread. I think this may be an old one.