Bayheart voluntarily recalled two batches of formula on Nov. 8, but said the decision was “made out of an abundance of caution, to go above and beyond what is necessary and ensure the highest level of safety.”
On November 10, the company pressured the FDA to test unopened cans of its formula, suggesting that CDPH’s positive finding was due to contamination.
Things have changed since then. On Wednesday, the company said it had partnered with an independent food-testing company, and the results were in: “We have just learned that those tests have identified clostridium botulinum In some specimens of the Bayheart formula.”
The company recommends that parents immediately stop using its formula products, all of which have been recalled. It says, “BayHeart has grown because parents trusted us and we are committed to rebuilding your trust.”
The company also acknowledged that it had expanded the list of potential contaminants for its formula: “Until now, this bacteria was not among the pathogens routinely tested for across the industry,” Byhart wrote. It stressed that it is now cooperating with the FDA and working with others to determine how its formula became contaminated.
The FDA said it is still testing the products and investigating the outbreak.