Federal and state health officials are probing 13 cases of infant botulism connected to a baby formula recall, with affected infants hospitalized across 10 states.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that ByHeart Inc. has initiated a recall for two specific lots of its Whole Nutrition Infant Formula: lot numbers 206VABP/251261P2 and 206VABP/251131P2.
The confirmed cases have emerged in Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities.
The ongoing FDA investigation aims to determine the root cause of the contamination and explore if other products might be impacted.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the affected baby formula represents approximately 1% of total national formula sales and is available online and through major retailers.
The CDC advises consumers who have purchased the recalled formula to note the lot number before disposal or returning it to retail. Additionally, cleaning of surfaces and items that came into contact with the formula should be conducted using a dishwasher or hot, soapy water.
Parents are urged to seek immediate medical attention if their infants show signs of distress after consuming the recalled formula, including poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, or reduced facial expressions.
Infant botulism, caused by a bacterium that produces dangerous toxins in the large intestine, can take weeks for symptoms to manifest, hence vigilance among parents is crucial, warns the CDC.
A representative from ByHeart has yet to provide a response regarding the situation as of Saturday.
