Organic Baby Food Recall: Apple & Carrot Portable Pouch Baby Food

One lot of Plum Organics Apple & Carrot Portable Pouch baby food, sold at Toys R’ Us and Babies R’ Us stores, is being recalled due to the risk of botulism poisoning.

The organic baby food recall was announced on October 19 after the company discovered that a batch of the baby food sold in portable pouches had been improperly blended. While no illnesses have been reported, there is a risk that the baby food was contaminated with Clostridium Botulinum, which is a bacteria that could cause botulism.

Botulism can surface from six hours to ten days after consuming contaminated foods, resulting in serious and potentially fatal illness. Symptoms of botulism can include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness that begins at the shoulders and moves down the body. In some cases, botulism poisoning can cause paralysis of the breathing muscles, which can lead to death if it is not treated.

The recalled baby food was manufactured by Plum Organics. The recall affects one lot of its 4.22 oz Apple & Carrot Portable Pouch organic baby food. The recalled baby food has a best by date of May 21, 2010 and has a Universal Produce Code (UPC) code of #890180001221. The UPC is located on the bottom of the package.

The pouches are sold exclusively at Toys R’ Us and Babies R’ Us nationwide. The baby food is manufactured with organic fruits and vegatables in portable pouches without additives or preservatives.

Anyone who has purchased recalled Plum Organics Apple & Carrot Portable Pouches have been advised not use it. The products can be returned to Toys R’ Us or Babies R’ Us for a full recall. Anyone whose child shows signs of botulism should immediately seek medical attention.

There are approximately 110 cases of botulism in the US each year, with roughly 4% of these cases resulting in death. 72% of cases occur in infants less than one year old because infants’ intestines do not contain enough normal bacteria to prevent infection by Clostridium Botulinum.