TL;DR: Stop using any Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula at once, watch an exposed infant for a full month, and get emergency care for constipation, poor feeding, droopy eyelids, weak cry, or loss of head control.
Recall at a glance: what happened by June 15, 2026
Federal health officials linked a multistate outbreak of infant botulism to powdered infant formula and the manufacturer recalled every lot on the market, according to HealthyChildren.org.
The product is Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula. Investigators reported at least 3 infants in 3 states became ill after consuming it. All 3 babies were hospitalized and treated with a botulism antitoxin, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Distribution was national and prolonged. The recalled formula was sold in Target retail stores and through Target.com and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026, according to HealthyChildren.org.
The company action was broad. Nara Organics of New York, NY, voluntarily recalled all lots currently on the market out of an abundance of caution because of possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum, according to the FDA recall announcement.
The timeline moved quickly over one weekend. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contacted the company late Friday, June 12, 2026, with information about 3 cases, and the company announcement was dated June 13, 2026, with FDA publication the same day, according to the FDA recall announcement.
Which cans are included
The recall covers all lots on the market, not a single batch. Consumers are told to stop using affected products immediately, according to the FDA recall announcement.
The two package sizes named are:
- Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 700g, UPC 860013251901
- Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 400g, UPC 860013251918
The lot code is printed on the bottom of each can. The FDA recall announcement lists 16 codes on the market at the time: 408125075E14F2, 708125076E14F2, 708125083E14F2, 408125139E14F2, 708125141E14F2, 708125145E14F2, 708125174E14F2, 709125273E14F2, 709125280E14F2, 709125288E14F2, 409125307E14F2, 70926019ENNB, 70926029ENNB, 70926035ENNB, 70926039ENNB, and 70926042ENNB.
Three lots were specifically identified as exposures for the hospitalized infants: 709125280E14F2, 709125288E14F2, and 708125174E14F2, according to the FDA recall announcement.
The product was not distributed outside the United States, according to the FDA recall announcement.
As of the June 13 update, the infants ranged from 2 to 5 months old when illness began, were reported from California, Pennsylvania, and Washington, and all had consumed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula, according to the CDC outbreak update. All 3 were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG, the FDA-approved treatment for infant botulism, and no deaths were reported, according to the CDC outbreak update.
Testing status was still pending on the archive date. Nara formula had not tested positive for C. botulinum at the time of the recall, while testing of opened cans and unopened company samples was underway with results expected in coming weeks, according to the CDC outbreak update and the FDA recall announcement.
What to do right now if you have the formula
Do not feed the recalled powder to your baby. That is the first instruction from pediatric guidance and federal agencies alike.
If cans are unopened, throw them away or return them. Parents and caregivers were urged to immediately stop using any Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula, according to the CDC outbreak update.
If cans are already opened, federal officials advise a careful hold-and-document routine rather than immediate disposal when illness is possible. Take a picture and record the lot number and use-by date. Consider keeping any opened formula because the state health department may want to test it if the infant develops signs of infant botulism, according to the CDC outbreak update.
HealthyChildren.org gives the same practical sequence: photograph container information before discarding it when symptoms are present, keep opened product that might be needed for testing, mark it “DO NOT USE,” and store it apart from other feeding items in a safe place.
Clean everything the powder may have touched. Wash items and surfaces with hot soapy water or in a dishwasher, according to the CDC outbreak update and HealthyChildren.org.
Watch the baby for a full month after the last use. Symptoms can take several weeks to start, so parents should observe for illness for a month after the infant last consumed the product, according to the CDC outbreak update. HealthyChildren.org likewise says to monitor for up to a month and, if no symptoms appear after that period, discard leftover formula.
To report a problem, the FDA points families to its Safety Reporting Portal, SmartHub, or a Voluntary MedWatch form by mail or online. Seek medical attention first if the child has signs of infant botulism, rather than pausing to file a report, according to the CDC outbreak update and the FDA recall announcement.
Signs of infant botulism parents should not wait on
Infant botulism happens when swallowed Clostridium botulinum spores infect a baby’s large intestine and produce toxin there, according to the CDC outbreak update. The organism makes spores that live in soil and dust. When a baby swallows them, the body can convert them into a toxin that affects nerves, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Parents often notice feeding changes first. Infant botulism often starts with constipation but is usually first noticed as difficulty feeding, including sucking and swallowing problems, a weak and altered cry, and lack of head control, according to the CDC outbreak update.
The fuller warning list includes constipation, often the first sign, weak sucking or feeding, droopy eyelids, a weak or different-sounding cry, less facial movement, trouble swallowing, loss of head control, and floppy arms and legs, according to HealthyChildren.org.
The FDA recall announcement describes a similar clinical picture: constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered cry, generalized weakness, respiratory difficulty, and possibly respiratory arrest.
This is an emergency. If a baby shows those signs, especially after consuming recalled formula, get medical help right away, according to HealthyChildren.org. The CDC alert names four red flags that should prompt immediate care after Nara exposure: poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, and decreased facial expression.
Without treatment, infants can develop progressive flaccid paralysis that leads to breathing difficulty and weeks of hospitalization, according to the CDC outbreak update. Infant botulism can lead to breathing problems and may require a ventilator, but with early treatment most babies recover, according to HealthyChildren.org.
For clinicians, initial diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms. If consultation supports infant botulism, begin treatment as soon as possible and do not wait for laboratory confirmation, according to the CDC outbreak update. Treatment with BabyBIG is recommended for all suspected cases.
Refunds, exchanges, and WIC help
Check the FDA recalls and safety-alert page for product-specific instructions, according to HealthyChildren.org. Depending on the recall, families may need to bring formula to the store for refund and exchange or call the company directly.
Nara said it would automatically refund consumers who bought formula from its website in May and June 2026. Other customers with unused product could request a refund by photographing the bottom of each can and completing the company refund form, while Target customers could return product to stores or follow online return instructions, according to the FDA recall announcement. Questions were directed to [email protected] and media inquiries to [email protected].
Families using federal nutrition benefits have a backup path. If receiving WIC benefits, parents should be able to obtain a different brand of similar formula, and if any problem arises they should call the WIC office for advice and assistance, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Do not improvise a replacement by making formula at home. Infants can also develop botulism from other sources, including honey, raw milk from cows or goats, and homemade baby formula, according to HealthyChildren.org.
How to switch formula safely
Talk with the pediatrician when changing formula. That conversation is a good idea, although many babies can move to a similar product from another company, including store-brand formulas, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Read the can. Mixing directions, meaning how much water and powder go into the bottle, can differ between brands, so check instructions carefully rather than reusing old scoops or ratios from memory, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Keep preparation areas and equipment clean. Germs can be present in unclean feeding supplies such as bottles and nipples and on counters where formula is mixed, so follow good safety practices when preparing formula, according to HealthyChildren.org. Federal guidance reinforces the same point by asking households and businesses not to sell, donate, or use recalled powder and to wash and sanitize anything it touched.
Why powdered formula carries special risks
Baby formula is regulated to be safe and to supply nutrients infants need, but a recall can occur when contamination or another health risk is suspected, according to HealthyChildren.org. Germs entering formula at a factory may leave no unusual smell or appearance yet still cause severe illness.
C. botulinum is only one hazard that has triggered action. Other germs tied to past baby formula recalls include Cronobacter sakazakii, which can cause sepsis, a severe life-threatening infection, as well as meningitis, inflammation around the brain and spine, bowel damage, poor feeding, irritability, temperature changes, jaundice, grunting breaths, and abnormal movements, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Salmonella is another past cause of recalls. It can cause stomach and intestinal illness with severe diarrhea that can quickly dehydrate babies; more severe infection may include high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, rash, and blood in urine or stool, according to HealthyChildren.org.
Honey deserves special emphasis during infancy. Never feed honey before the first birthday, and raw milk and homemade formula are not safe, according to HealthyChildren.org.
The June 2026 Nara action followed a November recall of ByHeart powdered infant formula, making it the second premium organic whole-milk formula recall tied to infant botulism within seven months, according to Healthbeat. That reporting context helps explain heightened parent concern, but it does not change the immediate steps: stop use, save lot details, clean contact surfaces, watch for a month, and seek prompt care for any neurologic or feeding change.