Canadian Infant Formula Pathogen Survey, 2018-2024

A 6-year targeted survey by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency analyzed 898 samples of powdered infant formula for bacterial pathogens and hygiene indicators. Cronobacter spp. was detected in 1 of 898 samples, Salmonella spp. was not detected in 479 tested samples, and Enterobacteriaceae was detected in 2 of 898 samples. The survey period was from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2024, and no related illnesses were reported.

Use Cases

• Assessing the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in powdered infant formula based on the 898-sample survey.
• Evaluating the absence of Salmonella spp. in infant formula based on testing of 479 samples.
• Monitoring hygienic conditions in the food supply chain using Enterobacteriaceae as an indicator organism.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of food safety follow-up activities and recalls triggered by positive test results.

Strengths

• Survey covers a 6-year period from April 2018 to March 2024, providing longitudinal data.
• Results are based on a substantial sample size of 898 infant formula samples.
• Includes testing for multiple pathogens and a hygiene indicator, offering a multi-faceted safety assessment.
• Specific detection rates are provided: 0.1% for Cronobacter spp. and 0.2% for Enterobacteriaceae.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for certain analyses.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the open_canada platform, focusing on the Canadian market.

Provenance

Source

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Collection Method

Targeted survey analyzing samples of powdered infant formula.

Time Range

April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2024

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 15:52:43.157644; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Likely Canada, as the survey was conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.