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Four cases of infant botulism prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a safety reminder to parents and caregivers to avoid giving honey to infants aged under 10 years. a year. Feeding honey babies, including in the form of honey-based lollipops, could cause infant botulism, a life-threatening disease.
Botulism is a rare but serious disease often associated with improper preparation and storage of foods, such as poorly made home canning. In infants, botulism occurs when the baby ingests bacterial spores, which then become toxin in the intestines and is released into the body.
The FDA safety advisory issued on November 16 resulted in four cases of infant botulism in Texas. In each case, an infant had received a pacifier stuffed or dipped in honey. Botulism was then diagnosed in these children and then admitted to Texas hospitals for life-saving treatment. As honey is a known source of Clostridium botulinum Spores, the FDA, and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise keeping young children safe from honey, including honey-based products.
Parents and those who have purchased honey-soaked lollipops should not give them to infants, or stop using them and throw them away. The FDA further recommends that retailers selling soaked or honey lollipops stop selling their products.
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