Popular baby formula causes infant botulism in multiple US cases

US health officials are investigating 13 cases of infant botulism linked to baby formula that was being recalled across multiple states.

The product manufacturer, ByHeart  Inc. agreed to begin recalling two lots of the company’s Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement, as reported by AP.

All 13 infants were hospitalised after consuming formula from two batches.

The cases occurred in the US states of Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.

While no deaths were reported so far, the FDA said it was investigating how the contamination happened and whether it affected any other products.

Available online and through major retailers, the affected baby formula brand accounted for an estimated 1% of national formula sales, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People who bought the recalled formula are recommended to record the lot number if possible before throwing it out or returning it to where it was purchased, the CDC said in a statement.

Infant botulism is caused by a bacterium that produces toxins in the baby’s large intestine and symptoms can take weeks to develop, so parents should keep vigilant, the CDC said.

By Khagan Isayev