ISTANBUL

The US Food and Drug Administration is investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism and has advised parents to avoid certain lots of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula.

In a statement on Saturday, the agency urged parents and caregivers to dispose of the formula immediately and seek medical attention if their infants show symptoms of botulism, which can include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, and respiratory problems.

The outbreak has affected 13 infants across 10 states, including Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington, with no deaths reported so far.

ByHeart, the formula's manufacturer, announced a voluntary recall of the two batches, stating that the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution" after being notified by the FDA.

The company said there is no direct evidence that its formula caused the illnesses and that botulism is extremely rare in dairy products or infant formula.