ByHeart Infant Formula Recall: What Parents Need to Know
Tests of ByHeart infant formula tied to a botulism outbreak that has sickened dozens of babies showed that all of the company’s products may have been contaminated. According to the company’s website, laboratory tests of 36 samples of formula from three different lots revealed that five samples contained the type of bacteria that can lead to the rare and potentially deadly illness.
“Based on these results, we cannot rule out the risk that all ByHeart formula across all product lots may have been contaminated,” the company stated. This concerning finding has significant implications for parents and caregivers who have been using the formula. At least 31 babies in 15 states who consumed ByHeart formula have been sickened in the outbreak that began in August, according to federal and state health officials.
Understanding the Risks of Botulism
Clostridium botulinum type A, the type of bacteria detected, can be unevenly distributed in powdered formula. Not all babies who ingest it will become ill, though all infants under age 1 are at risk, medical experts said. Infant botulism occurs when babies ingest spores that germinate in their intestine and produce a toxin. Symptoms include constipation, difficulty sucking or feeding, drooping eyelids, flat facial expression, and weakness in the arms, legs, and head.
Parents and caregivers should stop feeding the formula to babies immediately and monitor the children for symptoms, which can take up to 30 days to appear. The illness is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment. At least 107 babies nationwide have been treated for botulism with an IV medication known as BabyBIG since Aug. 1, health officials said. In a typical year, less than 200 infants are treated for the illness.
What to Do Next
To report an illness tied to the outbreak, contact an FDA consumer complaint coordinator or fill out an online MedWatch form. Consumers who bought ByHeart on the company’s website on or after Aug. 1 can receive a full refund, an expansion of its previous policy, the company said. ByHeart recalled all of its formula nationwide on Nov. 11. However, some product has remained on store shelves despite the recall, according to state officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
For more information on the ByHeart formula recall and the botulism outbreak, visit Here. Stay informed and take the necessary steps to protect your baby’s health.
By JONEL ALECCIA, AP Health Writer
Image Source: www.twincities.com
