Health authorities are investigating 13 cases across ten states of infant botulism linked to baby formula that is being recalled.
ByHeart Inc. has begun recalling two lots of the company’s Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Saturday.
Thirteen infants were hospitalized after drinking formula from lots 206VABP/251261P2 and 206VABP/251131P2, CBS News reported. The incidents happened in Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.
No deaths have been reported in connection with the formula. The FDA said it is investigating the origin of the contamination and whether any other products have been affected.
“The safety and well-being of every infant who uses our formula is our absolute highest priority,” Mia Funt, ByHeart’s co-founder and president, said in a statement. “We take any potential safety concern extremely seriously, and act quickly to protect families. As parents ourselves, we understand the concern this news may raise. This voluntary recall is out of an abundance of caution and comes from our ongoing commitment to transparency and safety for babies and their parents.”
The formula is sold online and through major retailers and comprises roughly one percent of national formula sales, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said anyone who bought the recalled formula should record the lot number of the product before throwing it away or returning it.
Any individuals who bought the recalled formula should use a dishwasher or hot, soapy water to clean any items or surfaces that came in contact with it, according to the report. Parents should seek medical care immediately if an infant drank the recalled formula and then had difficulty feeding or swallowing, loss of head control, or decreased facial expression.
“Infant botulism is caused by a bacterium that produces toxins in the large intestine,” according to the report. “Symptoms can take weeks to develop, so parents should keep vigilant, the CDC said. According to the CDC, symptoms of infant botulism can include constipation, poor feeding, ptosis or drooping eyelid, sluggish pupils, a flattened facial expression, diminished suck and gag reflexes, a weak and altered cry, respiratory difficulty and possible respiratory arrest.”
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
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