More Baby Formula Recalled In NJ As Botulism Cases Rise

A recall related to a nationwide infant botulism outbreak that has sickened at least one New Jersey infant has been expanded. The updated recall now includes all ByHeart brand formula in the country, according to authorities.

According to health officials, there have been 15 cases in 12 states linked to the recall so far, all of which have resulted in hospitalization, the CDC reported. None of the cases so far have been fatal. States with cases include California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Texas, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Infant botulism happens when swallowed spores from a type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum infect a baby's large intestine and make toxin in it, according to the CDC.

This is what the recalled product label looks like:

“We are so sorry for the immense anxiety and fear that we have been causing you these past few days,” ByHeart cofounders Mia Funt and Ron Belldegrun said in a message on the company’s website.

The formula, which is sold online and at major retailers across the nation, makes up an estimated less than 1 percent of all infant formula sold in the U.S., according to health officials.

Most infants with botulism will initially develop constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control and difficulty swallowing, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest. Symptoms of botulism, which is diagnosed clinically, can take as long as several weeks to develop following formula ingestion, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Botulism can be fatal, so if an infant is experiencing symptoms, parents or caregivers should seek immediate health care.

Parents and caregivers in possession of ByHeart formula are advised to record the lot number and best by date, store any leftover formula fed to an infant for at least a month for possible future testing, and wash items and surfaces that may have touched the formula with hot soapy water, according to the CDC.

The CDC, public health officials in several states, and the FDA are investigating the outbreak.

For information on how to report an illness and to view more product labels, visit https://bit.ly/4r00EhU.

With reporting by Anna Schier