Chair Cassidy Raises Concerns on Infant Formula Safety, Impact on Children’s Health
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, demanded answers from ByHeart for selling potentially unsafe infant formula that infected 51 infants across 19 states with infant botulism.
“Ensuring that parents and their
“ByHeart likely is insolvent and will likely go bankrupt – sooner or later,” Marler wrote in a blog post. “Retailers that sold infant formula will need to step up – morally and legally – to help these families. These lawsuits will help that.”
By Anna Edney – Bloomberg Reports:
December 22, 2025 at
Last month I said about the Botulism Outbreak (that had at that time ‘only’ sickened 13 – now 51 and rising) linked to ByHeart Infant Formula:
“The lawsuits filed Wednesday (in early November) could be the first of many legal actions against ByHeart, said Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer who represents Dexter.
‘This
Here are some facts. Incubation period for Infant Botulism is 3-30 days. The first Recall was November 8th when only 13 children were reported ill. As late as December 3rd (possibly later) they (FDA and State Public Health) were still finding cans on shelves. Any illnesses after Mid-November could well be coming from product that
Late on Wednesday night – here is the latest:
Arizona 5, California 12, Idaho 2, Illinois 2, Kentucky 1, Massachusetts 2, Maine 1, Michigan 1, Minnesota 3, North Carolina 2, New Jersey 1, Ohio 1, Oregon 4, Pennsylvania 1, Rhode Island 1, Texas 8, Virginia 1, Washington 2 and Wisconsin 1.
The FDA and CDC
Seriously, babies getting botulism and you cannot seem to get the poison off your shelves? If any of you sold this product AFTER the recall date, and a kid became ill, you are subject to punitive damages.
Here are some excerpts from FDA Warning Letters of a few days ago. Links below are the full
Contaminated supplies? Contaminated plaint? Lots of questions.
According to recent reports, the FDA cannot rule out the possibility that contamination might have affected all ByHeart formula products. In response, CDC broadened the case definition to include any infant with botulism who was exposed to ByHeart formula at any time since the product’s release in March
Class I recall: a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
| # | Product Description | Recall Number | Classification | Code Information | Product Quantity | Reason for Recall |
| 1 | 1. ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula cans 24 OZ 680 grams; |
States with illnesses: Arizona 5, California 12, Idaho 2, Illinois 2, Kentucky 1, Massachusetts 2, Maine 1, Michigan 1, Minnesota 3, North Carolina 2, New Jersey 1, Ohio 1, Oregon 4, Pennsylvania 1, Rhode Island 1, Texas 8, Virginia 1, Washington 2 and Wisconsin 1.
The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with the California Department
