Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT) and Amazon.com's (AMZN) Whole Foods Market are set to be added as defendants in lawsuits against baby formula maker ByHeart over a potentially contaminated product, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Foodborne-illness attorney Bill Marler, who represents families whose infants were hospitalized with botulism, said he plans to name the retailers for selling ByHeart formula allegedly contaminated with spores that cause the illness, the report said.

"ByHeart likely is insolvent and will likely go bankrupt -- sooner or later. Retailers, that sold infant formula will need to step up -- morally and legally -- to help these families. These lawsuits will help that," Marler wrote in a blog post.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said 51 babies who consumed ByHeart formula over the past two years were hospitalized with infant botulism, a potentially fatal infection, according to the report.

Whole Foods declined to comment, while Walmart and Target did not immediately respond to MT Newswires request for comment.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Price: 112.89, Change: -1.47, Percent Change: -1.29