Do you follow the 30-day rule for dumping open powdered formula?

[srhs]

Just wondering! I assume the risk is dipping your hand in there to scoop and spreading bacteria?

DS started refusing the bottle, and I do not want to dump more defrosted BM. So, we occassionally try again with formula (no tears if dumped), but we most certainly don't use a can in the time frame.

[maestramommy]

I'd be interested to know this too! I bought the smallest can I could find, but I don't think I'll be able to finish in 30 days.

[hillview]

Hummm ... I didn't know about the 30 day rule. That said I likely came close to naturally using it all up in 30 days. I can't imagine if you wash your hands etc that it is a major risk for an older child. A NB maybe I'd be more likely to do 30 day rule?
/hillary

[DrSally]

I do/did. We used very little formula, so a few times, I had to dump almost full containers, but I'm anal. If it helps, I used dr. office sample containers, so the container was smaller and there was less to throw out.

ETA: Eventually, we I just switched to cans for occassional use/back up since we used so little.

[catsnkid]

:banghead: This is news to me- I bought a value size for daycare for occassional supplementing...

[DietCokeLover]

I followed it - to the point of writing the date on the top of the can and tossing it if it was up to the 30 days. I didn't know the reason for it, but I'm like that about alot of things with expiration dates.

[srhs]

I followed it - to the point of writing the date on the top of the can and tossing it if it was up to the 30 days. I didn't know the reason for it, but I'm like that about alot of things with expiration dates.
Ya know, I did the same thing with DS1...wrote the open date in Sharpie on the can and dutifully watched it. Now, with DS2, I'm like, "Eh...what is the big deal? It's not like he's a newborn or I don't wash my hands..." I'm waffling but haven't given him old stuff yet.

[egoldber]

There are 2 main reasons for the 30 day rule.

The first is contamination. From the time the can is opened, every time you open the lid, put in the scoop, accidentally get your fingers in, you introduce bacteria.

Also, like any food product, it loses nutritional value from the second it is manufactured and once it has been opened, it loses it's nutritional value even faster.

Both of these things together factor into the 30 days. Now where did 30 days come from? Someone/somewhere either at the manufacturer or at the FDA decided that 30 days was level beyond which the above two things were no longer acceptable. And remember those things will vary depending on how it has been stored, how long the lid is typically off, etc.