Why Can't Babies Have Honey? Understanding the Risks and Safety Guidelines
Babies under 12 months should never have honey, in any form. Here is why, what the risk really is, and exactly when honey becomes safe.
Babies under 12 months should never have honey, not even a small taste and not even when it is cooked or baked into food. Honey can contain Clostridium botulinum spores. In a baby's immature gut, those spores can grow and release a toxin. The toxin causes infant botulism, a rare but serious illness. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) both advise giving no honey, in any form, before age 1. After the first birthday, a baby's digestive system is mature enough to handle these spores safely.
Key Takeaways
- No honey before age 1. Not raw, not pasteurized, not baked into food, not on a teething pacifier.
- Honey can contain Clostridium botulinum spores. In babies under 12 months, those spores can grow in the gut and produce a toxin that causes infant botulism.
- 162 US babies were diagnosed with infant botulism in 2018, the most recent CDC surveillance year. Most cases happen in babies younger than 6 months.
- Watch for constipation, a weak cry, poor feeding, or sudden floppiness. Call your pediatrician right away if you see these signs.
- Honey becomes safe at 12 months, once your baby's gut bacteria are mature.
Why no honey for infants?
Honey can contain spores of a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. In babies under 12 months, those spores can grow in the immature gut and produce a toxin that causes infant botulism, a rare but serious illness. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics both advise giving no honey, in any form, before age 1.
What is infant botulism?
Infant botulism is a rare illness caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. When a baby swallows the bacterial spores, they can settle in the large intestine, grow there, and release a nerve toxin. That toxin blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles, which causes the weakness and floppiness that doctors look for.
In babies older than 12 months, children, and adults, the spores typically pass through the gut without causing problems. The body's mature gut bacteria crowd them out before they can grow.
Why honey specifically carries the risk
Clostridium botulinum spores live in soil and dust, so they can land on a lot of foods. Honey is unusual because the spores survive well in it, and because babies often get small amounts very early.
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service identifies honey as the primary cause of infant botulism, and notes that honey can carry Clostridium botulinum spores. The amount of spores is usually small, but it does not take much to cause illness in a small baby.
The AAP lists honey as a known source of botulism spores in infants. Outside of honey, infant botulism most often comes from environmental exposure, not other foods.
No honey before age 1
Do not give honey, in any form, to a baby under 12 months. That includes raw honey, pasteurized honey, Manuka honey, honey-sweetened cereals and crackers, and honey on a pacifier. Pasteurization does not kill Clostridium botulinum spores.
When can babies have honey?
Babies can have honey starting at 12 months. Before then, even a small taste, including honey baked or cooked into food, can cause infant botulism. By the first birthday, the gut microbiome is established enough that the spores typically pass through without growing.
When you do introduce honey after age 1, you can:
- Start with a small amount mixed into a food your toddler already enjoys.
- Use it sparingly. Honey is still an added sugar, so it should be a treat, not a daily staple.
- Skip it as a sweetener in everyday drinks like milk or formula.
Is cooked or baked honey safe for babies?
No. Cooking and baking can destroy the Clostridium botulinum bacteria and any toxin already produced. They do not destroy the spores. The World Health Organization notes that the spores are heat-resistant. The toxin itself only breaks down at sustained temperatures above 185°F (85°C) for at least 5 minutes.
In practice, normal home cooking does not get hot enough, or stay hot long enough, to make honey safe for a baby under 1.
That means these are all off-limits before age 1:
- Honey graham crackers and honey-sweetened cereals
- Bread, granola, or muffins made with honey
- Yogurt, oatmeal, or tea sweetened with honey
- Teething products or pacifiers dipped in honey
- Cough remedies that contain honey
If a recipe lists honey, save it for after the first birthday.
Infant botulism symptoms to watch for
Symptoms can show up anywhere from a few days to several weeks after a baby swallows the spores. The AAP lists these warning signs:
- Constipation, which is often the first sign
- A weak or different-sounding cry
- Trouble feeding, including poor sucking and milk pooling in the mouth
- Overall weakness or floppiness
- Drooping eyelids
- Trouble breathing
Trouble breathing is a 911 emergency
If your baby is breathing fast, breathing slowly, struggling to breathe, or turning blue around the lips, call 911 right away. Untreated infant botulism can lead to respiratory failure.
If your baby suddenly seems floppy, has a weak cry, is not feeding well, or is unusually constipated, call your pediatrician the same day. Call even if you do not think they got into honey.
"Infant botulism is rare, but it moves fast. If something feels off, especially weak feeding, a floppy baby, or a new constipation pattern, don't wait it out. Call your pediatrician."
Dr. Melissa Tribuzio, MD
How common is infant botulism?
Infant botulism is uncommon, but it is not unheard of. The CDC's most recent National Botulism Surveillance Summary reported 162 laboratory-confirmed infant botulism cases in the US in 2018. According to the AAP, most cases happen in babies younger than 6 months.
The CDC has also reported a cluster of cases in Texas after babies used pacifiers that had been dipped in honey. That is one reason the "no honey, in any form" rule extends to teething products, not just spoon-fed honey.
How is infant botulism treated?
Babies with infant botulism are treated in the hospital. The standard treatment is a medicine called BabyBIG (Botulism Immune Globulin Intravenous), given through an IV.
In the pivotal 2006 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, BabyBIG cut the average hospital stay from about 5.7 weeks down to about 2.6 weeks. It is distributed by the California Department of Public Health's Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program.
Most babies who are treated promptly recover fully.
What about Manuka, raw, or "medical-grade" honey?
There is no safe type of honey for babies under 12 months. Raw, organic, pasteurized, Manuka, and any other honey product can carry Clostridium botulinum spores. Pasteurization is designed to kill bacteria, not the heat-resistant spores. The "no honey under 1" rule covers every variety.
Can a breastfeeding parent eat honey?
Yes. The AAP confirms that parents who are breastfeeding can eat honey safely. The risk to a baby comes from honey the baby swallows directly, not from breast milk.
Recent infant-botulism news to know about
A few recent stories have raised parent questions about infant botulism. None of them change the no-honey-before-age-1 guidance, but they are worth knowing:
- In November 2025, the CDC and FDA traced a cluster of infant botulism cases to a specific powdered formula (ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula). The source was the formula, not honey.
- In June 2025, Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup was recalled because of contamination with a different bacterium, Bacillus cereus. That recall was about a bacterial contamination problem, not Clostridium botulinum.
The honey rule itself has not changed: no honey, in any form, before the first birthday.
Have questions about a food or symptom?
Talk to a pediatricianSources
- CDC. Botulism Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/prevention/index.html
- CDC. Clinical Overview of Infant Botulism. https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/hcp/clinical-overview/infant-botulism.html
- CDC. National Botulism Surveillance Summary, 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/php/national-botulism-surveillance/2018.html
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Botulism. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/infections/Pages/Botulism.aspx
- NIH MedlinePlus. Botulism. https://medlineplus.gov/botulism.html
- World Health Organization. Botulism fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/botulism
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Botulism. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/foodborne-illness-and-disease/illnesses-and-pathogens/botulism
- California Department of Public Health. Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program (BabyBIG). https://www.infantbotulism.org/
- Arnon SS, Schechter R, Maslanka SE, et al. Human botulism immune globulin for the treatment of infant botulism. New England Journal of Medicine. 2006;354:462-471. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16452558/
Publish Notes (Stage 4d)
Slug: /health-tips/why-cant-babies-have-honey (unchanged, confirmed at staging)
Meta title (52 chars, <60): Why Can't Babies Have Honey? Botulism Risk Explained
Meta description (146 chars, <160): Babies under 12 months should never have honey, in any form. A pediatrician explains the infant-botulism risk and exactly when honey becomes safe.
FAQPage JSON-LD (validated against Schema.org + Google FAQ guidelines; optional fields omitted, not blanked, per Sam):
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"When can babies have honey?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Babies can have honey starting at 12 months. The CDC and AAP recommend no honey, in any form (raw, pasteurized, or baked), before the first birthday because honey can carry Clostridium botulinum spores that can cause infant botulism in babies under 1."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is cooked or baked honey safe for babies?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Cooking and baking do not destroy Clostridium botulinum spores. The AAP and CDC say honey should not be given to babies under 12 months in any form, including baked goods, cereals, or teething products that contain honey."}}]}
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
