Honey Is Not Safe for Babies Under One Year Old

Honey is a natural food, and for most people a harmless one. Babies are the exception. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states plainly that honey is not safe for infants, because honey can contain the bacteria that cause botulism. Its advice is not to feed honey to a child who is younger than 1 year old. The CDC explains that infant botulism can happen if the spores of the bacteria get into an infant’s intestines. The warning covers more than a spoonful of honey. The agency says not to give infants honey or products made with it, including honey pacifiers, and reports that several babies in Texas became ill with infant botulism after using honey pacifiers. The CDC also notes that most infant botulism cannot be prevented, which makes the avoidable cases worth avoiding.