@jeremyumc The CDC recommends a water temperature of 158 degrees F when preparing powdered formula. This is hot enough to kill cronobacter but is still well below the boiling point of 212 degrees F.
@jeremyumc I does seem like an oddly specific temperature! However, when you realize that the Celsius equivalent is 70 degrees, it’s like “oh, okay.” So the water used to make powdered formula should be 158 F / 70 C.
@jeremyumc It might denature the proteins but that wouldn't affect the nutritional composition. If anything it would just make it easier to digest. The digestive system needs to break it all apart to use anyway.
@peanutcm UK midwife here. Boil the kettle for each bottle and allow to cool for 20-30 mins (gives a temp of around 70C). Then make up bottle, and cool bottle as a whole. That’s our advice.
Things such as the above is why we don’t recommend Prep Machines that add a cold shot, or making up bottles with anything other than hot water.
@8weaponx Please listen to Bryntripp! I know kettles aren’t as universal as they are in Ireland/England but it’s worth the investment.
Also with the multiple formula scandals from the US, I honestly don’t know why the guidance hasn’t been updated to boiling the water/letting it cool a bit at this point. It’s just not worth the risk.
@8weaponx I struggle with this, because my baby doesn't always use formula. She's 10 months and slowly weaning to solid foods. If you mix the powder formula with the boiled water and leave it to cool in the fridge, is there anything wrong with that?
@noldoxis Nothing wrong with that. As you add the powder to the boiled water, it sterilizes the powder. After that you can safely store it in the fridge for 24hrs.
@jeremyumc If I'm stupid and wrong someone please correct me.
So I tried to look this up cause I imagine heat has to be involved in the process of making powdered formulas and also in sterilizing the liquid ones. On Wikipedia page for infant formula it has a section called 'current general procedure' and it explains that formula is pasteurized. So it is heated to kill off microorganisms at some point. So it's already heated.
Now I know regular milk is too but for instance when you get a latte that technically alters the physical composition of milk and you get foam. But I don't think that the same happens in this instance with boiling water and adding formula and letting it cool. So I'm honestly not sure but I don't think heating water to prevent Cronobacter would be advised if it compromised nutritional value. I would think they would just say no powder formula for you.
@fetorahjesuslibertarian UK, Ireland and many European jurisdictions recommend using somewhat cooled boiling water precisely because of the risk of chronobacter. Not just because there may be a contamination from the factory but also once opened, the formula can is open to external contaminants from your home too.
