Canadian authorities are cautioning the public against consuming the recalled ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula due to potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, which has been linked to infant illnesses in the United States. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has stated that the affected products may pose a safety risk due to the presence of the harmful bacteria.
State officials in Oregon, Minnesota, and Arizona have reported ongoing discoveries of the recalled product on U.S. store shelves following a recall issued on November 11 that was updated recently. According to federal health officials in the U.S., over 30 infants have fallen ill after consuming the formula tainted with Clostridium botulinum.
ByHeart, the company behind the infant formula, disclosed that tests conducted by an independent U.S.-based food safety laboratory detected Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium known to produce toxins that can cause severe illness in infants under one year old. ByHeart informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the findings but did not specify the number of samples tested or the positive results.
The CFIA issued a warning on November 14, alerting consumers about two sizes of the recalled ByHeart baby formula products potentially contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. In the U.S., at least 31 babies across 15 states have been hospitalized and treated for infantile botulism since August after consuming the ByHeart formula, with ages ranging from two weeks to six months.
No incidents of illness related to ByHeart products have been reported in Canada, as confirmed by the CFIA alert. Consumers are advised by the CFIA to seek medical attention if they suspect illness from consuming the affected products, check for the presence of the recalled formula, and refrain from using or distributing it as it may not exhibit signs of spoilage despite being contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.
The symptoms of infant botulism, caused by the toxin-producing bacteria, can include paralysis and even death. The illness may manifest up to 30 days after exposure, with symptoms such as constipation, weak cry, drooping eyelids, and difficulty swallowing or breathing in affected infants. Adults may experience facial paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and blurred vision, among other symptoms, with botulism not typically causing a fever.
U.S. health authorities are concerned that some households may still possess ByHeart products and are urging consumers to discontinue their use, mark them as “DO NOT USE,” and retain them for at least a month in case of any symptoms developing in a baby, requiring the formula to be tested.
