WARNING: Mothers asked to check expiry date on baby formula

SHE became concerned when her one-year-old nephew, who is in her care, recently started to get unexplained rashes and has been coughing and vomiting.

A WOMAN is urging all mums to check the expiry dates at the bottom of formula cans as she recently discovered she was feeding out of date formula to her nephew.

Last week Rhapsody Peilua purchased a tin of Nurture formula, later discovering it expired in May.

Ms Peilua said her now one-year-old nephew, who is in her care, recently started to get unexplained rashes and has been coughing and vomiting.

She said doctors weren't able to pinpoint what was causing the illness and since finding the out-of-date formula, is wondering if that could have caused the rashes and vomiting.

But formula manufacturer Heinz has said it was unlikely out of date formula could cause the "illness".

Ms Peilua has been caring for her nephew since he was three-months-old while his parents work in a Perth mine, they have both since returned to Redbank Plains to care for the sick child.

Sam Peilua and Tegan Anaru with their son Prince Peilua. Picture: Rob Williams

"He's doing okay now," Ms Peilua said.

The formula was taken back the next morning but Ms Peilua said staff only offered to exchange it for a new tin after she pushed them to check security footage to prove the purchase.

She also checked the dates on other tins.

"So many we found were out of date. We trust the shop, we shouldn't have to be checking the expiry dates."

She wants to warn anyone buying formula to check the expiration date.

"I want to get it out there to all the mums."

Business partner at Goodna Day and Night and Pharmacy Michael Cree said he offered Ms Peilua a refund.

"We're still trying to work out what happened there," Mr Cree said.

"All the stock that has been affected has been withdrawn from sale and we're looking at our procedures to make sure it doesn't happen again."

On the Goodna Day and Night Pharmacy Facebook page Mr Cree wrote that he had received a complaint about out of date stock in the pharmacy.

"Let me assure all customers we will never knowingly sell expired stock. We will gladly refund any purchase that occurred. We are reviewing our procedures to ensure this never happens again," the post said.

A spokeswoman from Heinz, the manufacturers of the formula said it was "unlikely" to have caused rashes and vomiting.

"We haven't sold Nurture in Australia for quite a period of time," the spokeswoman said.

"The product is extensively tested and released in accordance with its specification which includes microbiological and chemical testing. The product has a date code on it that stipulates the period of time the product should be consumed in.

"Past this shelf life some of the micro-nutrients such as vitamins and mineral will not have the same efficacy but would be highly unlikely to cause rashes and illness."