Nara Organics Issues Nationwide Baby Formula Recall Over Severe Botulism Risk

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are urging parents and caregivers to immediately stop using Nara Organics brand powdered infant formula following a comprehensive nationwide recall triggered by a severe risk of botulism contamination. Nara Organics announced the voluntary recall of all lots of its Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula currently on the market out of an abundance of caution, following an urgent multi-state epidemiological investigation led by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federal alert comes after at least three infants in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington state were hospitalized and treated with specialized antitoxins for confirmed or suspected infant botulism. The affected infants ranged in age from two to five months old, with illnesses developing between April and May 2026. While no deaths have been reported in connection to the recall, infant botulism is a rare but potentially fatal condition that occurs when bacterial spores germinate and release toxins within an infant's immature digestive tract.

The recalled formula was distributed nationally across the United States between July 2025 and June 2026, primarily sold online through the company's official website and at major retail brick-and-mortar storefronts, including Target and Target.com. The sweeping market action impacts both the 400-gram and 700-gram canisters of the organic product. Although company executives noted that no distributed product has tested positive for the Clostridium botulinum bacteria to date, the severity of the clinical symptoms and the direct epidemiological links necessitated an immediate, complete product removal.

Medical professionals advise parents to monitor their children closely for at least a month if they have consumed this product, as symptoms can take several weeks to manifest. Early signs of infant botulism include constipation, poor feeding, a weakened or altered cry, a distinct loss of head control, and difficulty swallowing or sucking. Caregivers who have these canisters in their homes are advised to photograph the lot codes on the bottom of the packaging for automated refund processing through target.com or nara.com before safely disposing of the contents.

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