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| Photo File (X/France 24) |
Nestlé has announced a major recall of several batches of its infant nutrition products across Europe due to potential contamination with a toxin that may cause nausea and vomiting.
The recall affects key infant and follow-on formula brands, including SMA, BEBA, and NAN, and covers multiple European countries. Nestlé confirmed that the recall began on a limited scale in December and has since expanded as a precautionary measure.
According to the company, the issue was identified after a quality concern was detected in an ingredient supplied by a leading vendor. Nestlé said it conducted extensive testing of arachidonic acid oil and related oil mixes used in the production of the potentially affected infant nutrition products.
Despite the recall, Nestlé stated that no confirmed illnesses or reported symptoms have been linked to the recalled products so far. Health authorities in several countries have also indicated that there is no immediate acute health risk.
The recalled products may contain cereulide, a toxin produced by certain strains of the Bacillus cereus bacterium. Britain’s Food Standards Agency warned that the toxin is resistant to heat and cannot be neutralized by boiling water or standard formula preparation methods, potentially causing rapid symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, or abdominal cramps.
The recall spans Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Austria’s health ministry described the move as the largest product recall in Nestlé’s history, claiming it affects more than 800 products from over 10 factories, though Nestlé has not independently confirmed those figures.
Nestlé, which controls nearly a quarter of the global infant nutrition market, said it has published batch numbers for affected products and is working closely with regulators to minimize supply disruptions. The company added that the potential risk was traced to one of its factories in the Netherlands.
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