Warning issued over honey pacifiers after infants hospitalized with illness

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to parents, telling them to avoid giving babies honey pacifiers after infants were hospitalized with a rare illness.

The warning was issued Friday after four Texas babies came down with botulism, a condition that can lead to death in some cases,.

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According to the FDA, "Honey is a known source of Clostridium botulinum spores, which can multiply in a baby’s immature digestive system, and has previously been implicated in some cases of infant botulism."

The agency recommends not feeding honey to infants younger than 12 months and to avoid giving pacifiers with or dipped in honey.

Although the pacifiers used by the infants were purchased in Mexico, they are easily found online in the U.S.