A small number of HappyTot and HappyBaby pouch meals have been voluntarily recalled by Nurture, Inc. A packaging defect that causes the pouches to swell or leak, may allow the food to become contaminated with bacteria. The manufacturing problem that caused the defect in the pouches has been identified and corrected. The defective food was sold from late December, 2009 through early January, 2010.
Products Affected By the Recall
Nurture says that about one-half of one percent of one batch of the pouch line is affected by the problem, totally about 215 to 250 pouches. The recalled foods are HAPPYTOT Stage 4 and HAPPYBABY Stage 1 and Stage 2, with expiration dates between November, 2010 and January, 2011. They were sold in Target and Whole Foods stores.
Flavors included in the recall are:
Green bean, pear & peas, 4.22oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00127 9Sweet potato, carrot, apple & cinnamon, 4.22 oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00128 6Spinach, mango & pear, 4.22oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00129 3Butternut squash & apple, 4.22oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00130 9Banana, peach, coconut & prunes, 4.22oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00131 6Banana, peach & mango, 4.22oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00132 3Mango, 3.5oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00134 7Spinach Mango Pear, 3.5oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00139 2Apricot Sweet Potato, 3.5oz pouch, UPC 8 52697 00136 1
Bacteria Found, But Not Harmful
Nurture has tested the defective pouches of food and found the harmless bacteria, Lactobacillus brevis (L. brevis). L. brevis can be beneficial and healthy bacteria to ingest, but it is also a food spoilage bacteria that can cause an unpleasant flavor in food. It is commonly found in fermented foods and beverages such as pickles, sauerkraut, and beer.
What to Do If You Have the Recalled Pouches
No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled products, but if you have the pouches you should not feed them to your child or consume them yourself. Nurture is asking customers to return the recalled HappyBaby and HappyTot pouches to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange.
