Babies under 1 year should not be given honey, warns Food Standards Agency
After 3 cases of infant botulism already this year, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a reminder to parents that honey should not be fed to babies under a year old.
Infant botulism is a serious condition caused by a germ found in soil that can occasionally get into honey. A baby’s gut is not mature enough to deal with the germ and toxins it produces.
“For the first 6 months babies only need breast milk or infant formula and although it might be tempting to give honey for easing coughs, infant botulism is a very serious illness and it simply isn’t worth the risk,” advises Sam Montel, a nutritionist at the FSA.
Find out what you can feed your baby for the first 12 months and recipe ideas.
