Three babies sickened across three states
Nara Organics recalled its organic baby formula sold at Target stores and online Saturday after a multistate outbreak of infant botulism, the FDA said. Three babies between 2 and 5 months became ill in April and May in California, Pennsylvania and Washington after consuming Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered infant formula. All three were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG, an FDA-approved IV medication made from blood plasma of people immunized against botulism.
The formula is also sold directly through Nara.com and is manufactured in Europe but sold only in the United States.
What infant botulism does to babies
Infant botulism is a rare but serious illness that occurs in babies under age 1, whose gut microbiomes are immature. The illness develops when infants consume bacteria with spores that produce a toxin in the gut. Symptoms include constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, weak muscle tone, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems. Babies who develop those symptoms need immediate medical attention.
How to handle formula already at home
The CDC urged people who have the formula to stop using it immediately. For opened cans, the agency recommended taking a picture, recording the lot number and use-by date, and watching infants for symptoms over the next month. Label opened cans "DO NOT USE" and store them in a safe place away from other items used to feed the baby for at least a month. If no symptoms appear after that period, the leftover formula should be thrown away.
Limited market impact
The outbreak does not create shortage concerns for parents and caregivers, the FDA said.
