ByHeart infant botulism cases stabilize

Federal authorities are working to reduce the frequency of reports of infant botulism outbreaks traced to ByHeart infant formula powder.

The outbreak has so far infected 51 children in 19 states. All of the children required hospitalization but none of them died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified some of the illnesses as far back as December 2023. The outbreak was originally thought to have begun in August of this year.

According to the FDA, disease reports on the outbreak have slowed since the last update on December 10. Therefore, the CDC will no longer issue weekly updates. Instead, the agency will only update the public “as new information becomes available.”

As of November 11, all ByHeart products have been recalled. On December 12, the Food and Drug Administration Sent letters to officials Albertsons, Kroger, Target and Walmart warned them that they did not immediately remove the recalled products from their store shelves and that this inaction constitutes a violation of federal law.

The recalled ByHeart formula was available at other retailers and via online sales.

Testing by the California Department of Public Health, as well as ByHeart, found botulism in the company’s infant formula.

symptoms Food poisoning in infants

Most infants with infant botulism initially present with constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, and difficulty swallowing, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest. Symptoms of infant botulism, which are diagnosed clinically, can take up to several weeks to appear after formula ingestion.

Any infant who shows signs of food poisoning should be taken to a doctor or emergency room immediately.

Recommendations

• Parents and caregivers You should stop using any ByHeart infant formula products immediately.
  • If your child consumes ByHeart formula and experiences symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
  • If your child is consuming ByHeart formula and is not currently showing symptoms, continue to monitor them and seek medical care if symptoms develop.
  • If you still have the formula in your home, you should:
    • Take a photo or record the information on the bottom of the package.
    • Keep the container in a safe place and be sure to label this product as not for use.
    • If your baby develops symptoms, the state health department may want to collect your formula container for testing. If your child does not have symptoms after 30 days, discard the containers.
  • Parents and caregivers from any state with concerns about outbreaks and infant botulism can also call the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) hotline at 833-398-2022. The hotline is available Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm PT.
  • Wash items, surfaces, containers and utensils Which may have come into contact with the formula using hot soapy water or the dishwasher.