Survey of infant foods for Clostridium botulinum spores

A total of 236 samples of infant foods, including honey, dry cereal, nonfat dry milk, evaporated milk, canned formula, and canned baby food, were collected in the New York City area and tested for the presence of Clostridium botulinum spores. Methods for recovery of spores were validated using foods spiked with 4 spores/mL or g. None of the products contained C. botulinum spores, indicating that their incidence in these commercial foods is not widespread. This limited study did not identify any food types that could be suspected of being involved in the transmission of infant botulism.