HEALTHY TIMES BABY OATMEAL VARIETY PULLED BY WHOLE FOODS

RICHARD TURCSIK

AUSTIN, Texas -- Whole Foods Markets here has pulled an organic baby cereal brand off of its shelves after a customer claimed she found live insects in the package.

The customer said she purchased a box of Healthy Times Baby Oatmeal with Banana cereal at a Manhasset, N.Y., Fresh Fields store, which is part of the Bread & Circus division, Newton Highlands, Mass., of Whole Foods. When she opened it at home, she said she found the insects inside.

Officials at the division referred calls to Whole Foods corporate offices here. Officials at Whole Foods headquarters did not return phone calls seeking comment. However, when SN visited the Millburn, N.J., Fresh Fields store, Healthy Times Baby Oatmeal with Banana cereal was not on the shelves.

Richard Prescott, president of El Cajon, Calif.-based Healthy Times, told SN his company is "doing everything within our power" to determine how the insects got into the package.

"The product has been available for 10 years and this is the first and only incident," he said, stressing that the insects were found in just the one box.

In addition to the Baby Oatmeal, Healthy Times also distributes other children's cereal as well as children's cookies, snacks and health and beauty care products.