BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Health is warning parents and caregivers to stop using Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula after the company recalled all cans of the product over possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum bacteria.

The recall came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted on June 13 that they were investigating an outbreak of infant botulism linked to the formula. No cases of infant botulism have been identified in Louisiana.

Nara Organics voluntarily recalled all cans of its infant formula currently available in the U.S. The products are sold online and at Target retail locations.

Louisiana Department of Health public health inspectors are working with retailers across the state to make sure the product is pulled from shelves.

Caregivers are advised to throw away any Nara Organics formula immediately or return it to the store where it was purchased. Before getting rid of it, write down or take pictures of the lot numbers found on the bottom of the can.

Caregivers should also check for any formula removed from the original can and placed in another container. All items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled formula should be washed with hot soapy water or run through a dishwasher.

Infant botulism is a rare and serious illness caused when infants inhale or swallow spores produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Under certain conditions, those spores can grow inside an infant and produce toxins that can make the baby very sick.

Symptoms can take anywhere from several days to several weeks to appear. They may include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, decreased facial expression and a weak or altered cry.

If left untreated, botulism can progress to paralysis and breathing difficulties. Caregivers should seek immediate medical care if their infant consumed the recalled formula and develops any symptoms.

Infants who consumed the recalled formula should be monitored for symptoms for 30 days after their last exposure. No testing or treatment is recommended for infants who consumed the formula but show no symptoms.

According to the FDA, Nara Organics products make up an estimated less than 1 percent of all infant formula sold in the U.S. and the outbreak does not currently raise concerns about a possible shortage.