Ella Scott
Three companies have now urgently recalled specific batches of baby formula due to potential contamination, with England and Ireland being among the affected countries.
Dairy companies Nestlé, Lactalis, and Danone have all asked parents and caregivers to cease using various product pots after researchers discovered the possible presence of cereulide, a toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) confirmed that cereulide is highly heat stable meaning it won’t be destroyed during cooking or when the product is mixed with boiling water.
Cereulide can cause serious food poisoning symptoms in children, such as vomiting, dehydration. abdominal cramps, and nausea.
Advert
It may also cause Infants to become lethargic and refuse feeding, as per Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency.
The contamination has been traced to a single Chinese supplier of ARA (arachidonic acid) oil, and all three businesses have asked for the baby formula to be destroyed or returned to the point of purchase.
On 5 January, Nestlé confirmed it was voluntarily recalling various batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula due to the potential presence of cereulide in the batches concerned.
The company confirmed at the time that no reports of any illness associated with consumption of the products had been made.
However, they warned parents and caregivers not to administer the formula to their children, and to destroy the product instead.
“We understand that this news may cause concern for parents, and we sincerely apologise for any concern or inconvenience caused to parents, caregivers, and customers,” the business added.
The full list of affected products includes:
Food Manufacture wrote that Foodwatch has criticised Nestlé’s communication efforts, claiming warnings about the baby formula came too late.
Both Nestlé and Lactalis are facing legal action from the non-profit.
Lactalis, the French multinational dairy product corporation, announced it was recalling batches of baby milk on 21 January.
The company said in a statement that upon learning of the potential contamination ‘it immediately initiated testing through an accredited independent laboratory to assess the potentially affected products’.
Lactalis added that no complaints or reports related to the consumption of these products have been communicated by the French authorities.
The recalled products include six lots of its Picot infant formula brand with expiration dates of up to March 2027.
It’s understood these products have only been on sale since January 2025.
Australia, Chile, China, Colombia, the Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, France, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Peru, Georgia, Greece, Kuwait, the Czech Republic and Taiwan are all affected, as per Reuters.
A batch of Aptamil baby formula was recalled by Danone over the weekend due to the potential presence of cereulide.
The company said its internal quality controls had not identified any safety breaches. It stressed that routine testing showed products were ‘fully compliant with all applicable safety regulations’.
However, as a precaution, it had recalled a single batch of Aptamil Infant Formula 800g with the Best Before date of 31 October 2026.
Anyone who has purchased the product can take it to the point of sale for a full refund with or without a receipt.