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來源:中國日報網

自從美國最大的奶粉供應商雅培因細菌超標而停產后，自去年以來出現的奶粉短缺問題就愈演愈烈。美國各地商店的暢銷嬰兒配方奶粉被搶購一空，平均缺貨率高達40%，大型連鎖藥店紛紛實行限購措施。

Empty shelves show a shortage of baby formula at a CVS store in San Antonio, Texas, US May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal

Major US pharmacies have restricted sales of baby formula in respon to a worning shortage of the special milk.

由于嬰幼兒配方奶粉短缺問題愈演愈烈，美國各大藥房已經開始實行限購措施。

CVS and Walgreens are among the big chains to have impod limits in recent weeks on how many cans customers can buy at a time.

西維斯和沃爾格林等大型連鎖藥店幾周前已開始限制顧客單次購買的奶粉罐數。

The shortages intensified after Abbott - which makes top brand Similac - shut a key factory and issued a recall in February after finding contamination.

自從生產配方奶粉大品牌Similac的雅培公司關閉了一家主要工廠并在二月份召回受污染奶粉后，奶粉短缺問題變得更加嚴重。

Republicans, such as Senator Tom Cotton, have called it a 'national crisis' that the White Hou must address.

參議員湯姆·科頓等共和黨人將奶粉短缺問題稱為白宮必須出面解決的“全國性危機”。

Abbott issued the recall of certain batches of powdered formula in February after reports that four babies who had been fed from cans from the factory became sick, including two who died.

在雅培的那家工廠被曝出其產品導致四名嬰兒生病，其中還有兩名嬰兒因此死亡后，雅培在二月份召回了部分批次的配方奶粉。

The Centers for Dia Control and Protection said they were investigating a possible link, but that testing so far had found the strain of bacteria detected at the factory did not match that found in the sickened babies.

美國疾病控制和預防中心稱，他們正在調查一條線索，但是到目前為止的檢測顯示工廠發現的菌種和生病嬰兒體內發現的菌種不符。

Separately, the FDA criticid Abbott for unsanitary conditions.

此外，美國食品藥品管理局也批評雅培的衛生條件不佳。

But the shortage pre-dates tho issues and has been building since last year due to supply chain and other factors, according to rearch firm Datambly, which tracks 11,000 stores across the US.

但是調研機構Datambly指出，早在這些事件發生之前，由于供應鏈和其他因素，自去年以來美國的奶粉短缺問題就已經愈演愈烈。Datambly追蹤調查了美國各地11000家商店。

The situation deteriorated further last month, as publicity of the problem grew and parents raced to stock up.

隨著媒體報道增多，父母們爭相搶購囤貨，上個月奶粉短缺問題進一步惡化。

As of 24 April, the average out-of-stock rate across the country had jumped to 40%, up from just 30% a few weeks earlier - and 11% in November, according to Datambly.

Datambly的數據顯示，截至4月24日，美國各地的平均缺貨率已經飆升至40%，就在幾周之前，缺貨率只有30%，去年11月缺貨率僅為11%。

There were 26 states with out of stock rates higher than 40% - compared to just ven states three weeks earlier, it said.

Datambly指出，美國有26個州缺貨率高于40%，而三周之前缺貨率高于40%的只有7個州。

'Due to incread demand and various supplier challenges, infant and toddler formulas are eing constraint across the country,' the major pharmacy chain Walgreens said in a statement.

大型連鎖藥店沃爾格林在一份聲明中稱：“由于需求增加和各種供應挑戰，美國各地的嬰幼兒配方奶粉都開始限購。”

Walgreens has limited families to buying three cans at a time - similar to other retailers. A 12.4 ounce can of formula typically lasts for about 15 bottles - or just a few days' worth of supply.

和其他零售商一樣，沃爾格林限制每戶一次只能購買3罐奶粉。一罐12.4盎司（約350克）的配方奶粉通常可以沖泡約15瓶奶，只夠喝幾天。

Companies that produce items like baby formula - in which demand is typically steady over time - have troubles catching up when there is disruption, said Rudi Leuschner, director of the masters in supply chain management programme at Rutgers Business School.

羅格斯大學商學院供應鏈管理項目碩士生導師魯迪·洛伊什納表示，一直以來嬰幼兒配方奶粉的需求量通常都很穩定，但是生產商在供應鏈被打亂后難以再維持產量。

And as parents rush to buy as stories of empty shelves spread, that only makes the problem wor, he warned.

他警告稱，缺貨的消息讓父母們爭相搶購，這只會讓問題更嚴重。

Overall, birth rates are falling, reaching the lowest point on record in the US in 2020. Studies have also found that consumption of infant formula has been declining in favour of breast milk.

從總體上來看，美國的生育率正在下降，2020年一度跌至史上最低水平。研究還發現，隨著選擇母乳喂養的人增多，嬰幼兒奶粉的消費量一直在降低。

英文來源：BBC

翻譯&編輯：丹妮