Louisiana health officials say stop using ByHealth baby formula

The Louisiana Department of Health wants caretakers to stop using ByHeart baby formula, which federal officials say might be contaminated with a bacteria that can make children sick.

Anyone who’s purchased ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula should throw it away immediately or return it to the store where it was purchased, state health officials said in a news release Friday.

At least 23 infants in 13 states have been sickened with infant botulism traced to ByHeart formula since August. There have been no deaths attributed to the outbreak, and none of the cases were in Louisiana. 

ByHeart Inc. started a recall of its powdered formula earlier this week. Two couples whose babies have developed the infection have also filed lawsuits against ByHeart in Arizona and Kentucky, according to the Associated Press. 

Louisiana officials advise families who have purchased ByHeart to take a photo or write down the product’s lot number, found on the bottom of the can, before disposing of it. Containers and surfaces the formula might have touched should also be washed with hot soapy water, they said.

Babies who have injuested the bacteria might not get sick for days or weeks. They should be monitored for 30 days after their last exposure to the formula for signs of illness. There is no testing that can be done to see if a baby has ingested the bacteria unless symptoms surface. 

Signs of infant botulism include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, decreased facial expression, a weak or altered cry and muscle weakness. Babies who develop these behaviors should be seen by a medical professional immediately, according to the state health department.

The Louisiana health department is working with retail businesses and others to ensure ByHeart formula is taken off shelves in stores. ByHeart only makes up 1% of the baby formula market nationwide, so federal officials do not expect its recall to trigger a larger shortage of infant formula.