Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Bacillus,Outbreaks & Recalls on July 9, 2025
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall and warning for Bacillus in Cough Syrup in a popular natural children’s product.
Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup.
Check your medicine cabinet. All lots being recalled are within the expiration date.
While most cough syrup is handled under the pharmaceutical side of the FDA and not covered by our Make Food Safe Blog, this product is a bit different. Landing itself square on our radar.
Only three ingredients are listed on the label. Honey, purified water, and E-polylysine (a natural preservative).
According to the Mayo Clinic, “honey alone may work as well as medicines available without a prescription to lessen coughing.”
In fact, several studies (including those with children) showed that honey appeared to work as well as diphenhydramine. A common ingredient in cough and allergy medications.
Medtech Products Inc., a Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. company issued a voluntary recall for five lots of their Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup due to the presence of Bacillus cereus and loss of shelf stability.
It is unclear how the contamination of Bacillus in cough syrup was identified.
Affected product was distributed nationwide through retailers and online between 12/14/2022 and 06/04/2025 and uses the UPC# 7-56184-10737-9.
Lots include:
Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup is packaging in 4 FL OZ (118 mL) amber bottles with an outer carton with the brand and lot number on the bottom of the packaging.
According to the recall notice, no other Little Remedies products are subject to this recall.
There are many types of Bacillus bacteria. But the one involved in this Bacillus in cough syrup recall involves Bacillus cereus. A type of microorganism that produces harmful toxins.
Symptoms from this type of infection vary depending on whether or not the contaminated food already contains toxins (emetic syndrome) or bacteria that produces toxins once it is already in your body (diarrheal syndrome).
If the toxin is already present in the food or beverage before you eat it, you may experience emetic syndrome symptoms.
Often involving nausea and vomiting that comes on quickly.
Most people become sick with Bacillus emetic syndrome somewhere between one to six hours after eating.
The illness caused by enterotoxins is referred to as Bacillus diarrheal syndrome. It is the most common form of Bacillus illness in the U.S. and Europe.
Symptoms often include abdominal pain, stomach cramping, and watery diarrhea, beginning six to 15 hours after eating.
If you have recalled product in your home and it has recently been consumed, monitor your child (or anyone who may have consumed it) for Bacillus bacterial infection symptoms.
If no illness or adverse reaction is experienced from this recalled product, stop using recalled product immediately. Either throw away the product or retain it (if recently consumed) by bagging it up and clearly labeling it so it is not used while you monitor for symptoms.
Retaining leftover product and product packaging can help traceback investigation activities.
If no adverse reaction or illness is observed, discard the product or contact the manufacturer for reimbursement by emailing medicalaffairs@prestigebrands.com or through their website https://www.prestigebrands.com/contact.
If a child or a family member experiences illness or adverse reaction from consuming Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup, there are a few things you can do to help your situation.
If illness or adverse reaction is experienced, seek medical care immediately.
Explain to your healthcare provider of the recent exposure to Bacillus in cough syrup to help expedite testing and treatment for a better outcome.
With any illness involving vomiting and/or diarrhea, staying hydrated is important. These symptoms often deplete the body of important fluids, which can cause serious complications.
Ensure plenty of fluids are consumed. Limit caffeine and sugary beverages. If possible, drink products with electrolytes to replenish salts and minerals that may be lost during the illness.
On the Recall Notice, the FDA is also asking consumers to report “adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product” to their MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.
Click here to fill out that form online. Alternatively, you can call their hotline at 1-800-332-1088 to request a form to send through postal mail.
If your child or family member has become seriously ill after consuming Bacillus in cough syrup, it is a good idea to get advice from an experienced Food Poisoning Lawyer.
Medical bills, time off caring for a loved one, and other burdens associated with Bacillus cereus illness add up.
An experienced food poisoning lawyer can help gather necessary reports and evidence to support your case. Point you in the right direction to ensure appropriate treatment. They can also help answer any questions that you may have and even some that you have not thought of.
If your child or a family member has become sick from Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup and wish to file legal claim, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Food Poisoning Lawyer that can help!
The Lange Law Firm has represented families with situations just like yours and won millions of dollars in food poisoning and product liability lawsuits. Let them help you get the justice you deserve.
Call (833) 330-3663 for a free, no-obligation consultation. Or fill out the online submission form and someone will get back with you right away.
Many cases are time sensitive, so don’t wait. Call or email today!
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “FDA Issues Warning for Bacillus in Cough Syrup with Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup Recall,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)