A former Abbott employee submitted an Occupational Safety and Health Administration complaint in February 2021, months before the baby formula-producing plant in Sturgis, Mich., stopped operations, The Wall Street Journal reported June 8.
The complaint alleged multiple problems including "failing equipment in need of repair" and the release of infant formula lacking a consumption safety check, according to the Journal, which cited a government official, a person familiar with the matter and documents.
The revised timeline comes as one plant shutdown in February 2022 has hindered the nation's formula supply chain for months, prompting the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.
"We investigated the federal OSHA complaint and have not been able to confirm the allegations," an Abbott spokesperson told the Journal.
Despite Abbott resuming normal production in Sturgis and the federal government airlifting supply from other countries, experts expect the shortage to last another two months. The FDA told the AHA June 8 supply levels are recovering for hospitals.