FDA Halts Shipments Of Kosher Baby Formula 'Materna'
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- Some local mothers have been driven to a frenzy after a brand of kosher baby formula was pulled from store shelves.
The Food and Drug Administration stopped allowing Materna, a formula made in Israel. The FDA said "certain nutrients were inadequately declared on the label and there were also significant labeling violations." However, the agency did not specify if there was anything dangerous about the formula.
At Pomegranate Grocery in Brooklyn, the coveted item was out of stock and had some "freaking out."
"I'm going to every store to find it," Zissy Yablonski told CBS 2's Demetra Ganias.
Yablonski said she needed the brand because her son "couldn't tolerate the other ones."
"The Materna is very light. It fills the baby and it's light," she said.
While there are alternatives to the formula, some were found to be two and a half times the price. Another important issue concerning Materna was that it is made under the supervision of a rabbi that adheres to a higher standard and is much revered by the community.
Leah Tratner is a grandmother whose family swears by the elusive formula. She said her family used to buy the formula while they lived in Israel and "loved it."
"It's been crazy. It's like they're looking for the winning lottery ticket," Pomegranate Grocery manager Gabe Boxer said.
As families continues to scoop up limited supply of the formula, the Materna website promised the company was working around the clock to resolve the issue.
SOUND-OFF: Have you been affected by the shortage of Materna baby formula? Lets us know about your experience in the comments section...
