Nara Organics recalls baby formula after infant botulism outbreak

Nara Organics pulled all cans of its organic baby formula from the U.S. market after a multistate infant botulism outbreak that left three babies hospitalized. The infants, who were 2 to 5 months old when they became sick, were in California, Pennsylvania and Washington after drinking Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula.

Parents and caregivers who bought the product are being told to stop using it immediately and watch for constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, weak muscle tone, trouble swallowing and breathing problems. If a baby shows those signs, medical help is needed right away. Officials also told families to photograph or record the can’s lot number and use-by date, keep any opened container long enough to document it, and then discard it after labeling it “DO NOT USE.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said as of June 13 there were 3 reported cases, 3 hospitalizations and 0 deaths tied to the outbreak. All three infants were treated with BabyBIG, the FDA-approved therapy for infant botulism. The illness is rare, but it can be life-threatening because the toxin develops in a baby’s gut, and infants under 1 are especially vulnerable because their digestive systems are still immature.

The scale of the recall is small in market terms but broad in public-health reach. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the formula was distributed nationally through Target stores, Target.com and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026, and that it makes up less than 1% of infant formula sold in the United States. The product was manufactured in Europe, though it was not distributed outside the U.S. Even so, the combination of brick-and-mortar retail and online sales meant a single brand could reach families in multiple states before the warning landed.

The FDA said it contacted Nara Organics late Friday, June 12, after receiving epidemiological information about the three cases and then recommended a recall because of the severity of the illnesses. Nara said it was recalling all cans of infant formula currently available in the U.S. and said in its notice that it was “heartbroken” by the concern and stress caused to families, adding that “the health of all babies is our first priority.” The episode shows how quickly infant food risks can cross state lines and how hard regulators still have to work to keep pace with products sold through national chains and e-commerce.