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Originally Posted by Sunday
How come babies aren't supposed to eat honey?
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Quote:
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Jennifer Shu, MD posted:
You may have heard that you shouldn't give honey to babies under 1 year of age, but do you know why people say this? It's because honey (and other products such as improperly canned foods or some corn syrups) may contain bacteria called Clostridium botulinum that can cause botulism in infants. The symptoms of botulism include severe muscle weakness, poor feeding, and breathing problems and occurs in about 100 infants every year. Babies (especially those younger than 6 months) are at risk because their digestive systems are not mature enough to handle the bacteria. Fortunately, most babies receive medical treatment and can recover fully.
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http://forums.webmd.com/3/newborn-an...xchange/tip/26
In context - in the US, roughly
4 million babies are born each year. 100 in 4,000,000 isn't bad odds, but it's preventable.
See also
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/Botulism...ns/control.asp - it appears that honey as an ingredient that is cooked or baked above 120 degrees C (248 F) would be safe, as that temp kills C. botulinum spores.