Recall alert: ByHeart baby formula pulled off shelves due to outbreak of infant botulism

All ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products have been recalled after 15 infants across 12 states were hospitalized with “suspected or confirmed” cases of infant botulism.

FDA links multiple lots to infections

In an advisory published Tuesday, November 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revealed that 40% of infants who contracted the illness through powdered infant formula exposure had consumed ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula.

The FDA said several lots were connected to the reported cases, prompting a recall of all ByHeart infant formula on the market nationwide. No other infant formula brands or shared exposures posing a similar risk to infants have been identified.

States affected by the recall

According to the advisory, cases have been reported in Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.

CDC urges parents to take precautions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises parents not to use ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, to wash items and surfaces — including dishwashers — that may have come into contact with the formula using hot, soapy water, and to seek immediate medical attention if their child has consumed the product and developed symptoms of infant botulism.

Symptoms and survival rates

Symptoms to look out for include poor feeding, constipation, a weak cry, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing and decreased facial expression.

Infant botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin from Clostridium botulinum bacteria. If not treated promptly, the condition can be life-threatening. However, with appropriate medical care, the survival rate is between 98% and 100%.

No deaths caused by infant botulism have been reported in the United States since 2018.

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