Infant formula company SMA Nutrition issued a product recall on Wednesday in relation to batches of SMA Gold and White infant formula that have been linked to a recent case of infant botulism when a five-month-old baby fell ill. The UK Food Standards Agency commented in a statement that although it is not possible to prove conclusively that the SMA products were the cause of the child's illness, the decision to recall was a precautionary approach. Dr Jon Bell, the agency's deputy chief executive said: "It is important that no-one continues to use these particular batches of SMA Gold and SMA White." "They should be thrown away or returned to the retailer." A spokesman for SMA told the BBC:"These products have been on the market for more than three years - I'm not expecting many to come back." "However, we would very much encourage mums to go to their cupboards and go to their corner shops and to look at their shelves." The recall was ordered after tests in the home of the baby who fell ill. A sample of infant formula from the house tested positive for Clostridium botulinum type B, a bacterium which causes botulism - and the same strain which caused the child's illness. For people concerned call the SMA Careline on (0800) 212002.
