A New York City-based company issued a voluntary recall of its organic baby formula sold nationwide in Target stores and online after an outbreak of infant botulism, federal health officials said on Saturday.
According to a notice posted on Saturday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Nara Organics issued the recall after an outbreak of infant botulism across several states.
Nara Organics Powdered Infant Formula was distributed nationally across Target retail stores, Target.com, and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026, according to the notice.
The company said that three babies have become ill -- one each in California, Pennsylvania and Washington, the FDA said.
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contacted Nara Organics on Friday and provided information about the three cases of infant botulism.
The children were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG (Botulism Immune Globulin Intravenous), which is the FDA’s approved treatment for infant botulism. There have been no reported deaths, the FDA said.
The three specific product lots these infants were exposed to are listed as 709125280E14F2, 709125288E14F2 and 708125174E14F2.
So far, the formula has not tested positive for C. botulinum, the agency said. However, Nara decided to voluntarily recall all its products currently on the market.
All lots currently on the market are included in this voluntary recall, and the specific codes are as follows. The lot code can be found on the bottom of each can. In addition to the codes that infants were exposed to, the other codes are:
- 408125075E14F2
- 708125076E14F2
- 708125083E14F2
- 408125139E14F2
- 708125141E14F2
- 708125145E14F2
- 709125273E14F2
- 409125307E14F2
- 70926019ENNB
- 70926029ENNB
- 70926035ENNB
- 70926039ENNB
- 70926042ENNB
According to the notice, customers should stop using the recalled products immediately.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, infant botulism is a rare disease that affects children younger than a year old. It begins with subtle signs like constipation or weak crying, and if left unchecked, it can lead to muscle weakness and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, poor feeding and drooping eyelids.
Nara Organics said it will issue refunds to all consumers who purchased formula from their website in May and June 2026. Other customers with unused product may request a refund by taking a photo of the bottom of each can and completing a refund form.
The company issued an apology in a statement.
“We sincerely apologize for the concern and distress this announcement causes our customers,” the statement read. “We are committed to leading with transparency and accountability throughout this process as we work to identify further information. We will provide additional information as it becomes available. Customers with questions are encouraged to visit Nara’s website."