Federal and state health officials are investigating 13 cases in 10 states of infant botulism linked to recalled infant formula, authorities said Saturday.
The US Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that ByHeart Inc. I agreed to start a recall of two boxes of the company’s Complete Nutrition infant formula.
All 13 infants were hospitalized after taking a combination of two groups: 206VABP/251261P2 and 206VABP/251131P2.
Cases occurred in Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.
No deaths were reported. The US Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating how the contamination occurred and whether it affected any other products.
Available online and through major retailers, the product represents an estimated 1% of national formula sales, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People who purchased the recalled formula should record the lot number if possible before throwing it away or returning it to where it was purchased, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.
They should use a dishwasher or hot, soapy water to clean items and surfaces that have come into contact with the formula. They should seek medical care immediately if an infant consumes the recalled formula and then develops malnutrition, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, or decreased facial expressions.
Food poisoning in infants is caused by bacteria that produce toxins in the large intestine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said symptoms can take weeks to develop, so parents should be careful.
A ByHeart spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Saturday.