The Nestle SMA baby products recalled in poisoning fears
Nestle has announced a widespread recall of several key infant nutrition products across Europe, including SMA, BEBA and NAN infant and follow-on formulas. The move comes amid concerns about potential contamination of a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting in babies.
The recall, which began on a smaller scale in December, affects products sold in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. The company, known for brands such as KitKat and Nescafe, said late Monday that no illnesses or symptoms related to the recalled batches had been confirmed.
A spokesperson confirmed that the identification of a quality issue with an ingredient from a leading supplier led Nestle to test all arachidonic acid oil and related oil blends used in potentially affected infant nutrition products. The potential exposure was traced to one of its factories in the Netherlands.
The toxin in question, cereulide, is produced by certain strains of the Bacillus cereus bacteria. Britain’s Food Standards Agency warned that the toxin was “unlikely to be deactivated or destroyed by cooking, using boiling water or making baby milk.”
If consumed, it added, “it can lead to rapid onset of symptoms,” including nausea, vomiting or abdominal cramps. However, Norway’s food safety agency stated that there was no acute health risk.
The Austrian health ministry described the recall as the largest in Nestlé history, claiming it affected more than 800 products from more than 10 factories. A Nestle spokesperson could not confirm these figures.
Nestle presented the full list Products and batch numbers affected by the recall
United Kingdom:
SMA Advanced First Baby Milk 800gr
- 51450742F1
- 52319722BA
- 52819722AA
SMA Advanced Follow-on Milk 800gr
- 51240742F2
- 51890742F2
- 52879722AA
SMA First Baby Milk 800gr
- 51170346AA
- 51170346AB
- 51340346AB
- 51580346AA
- 51590346AA
- 52760346AB
- 52760346AD
- 52780346AA
SMA First Baby Milk 400gr
SMA First Baby Milk 1.2Kg
- 51340346BE
- 52740346BA
- 52750346BA
SMA LITLLE STEPS First Baby Milk 800gr
- 51220346AD
- 51540346AC
- 52740346AD
SMA Comfort 800g
- 52620742F3
- 51240742F3
- 51439722BA
- 51479722BA
- 51769722BA
- 52049722AA
SMA First Baby Milk 200ml
- 52860295M
- 52870295M
- 53220295M
- 53230295M
- 52870295M
- 53030295M
- 53040295M
- 53070295M
- 53080295M
SMA First Baby Milk 70ml
SMA lactose free
- 400g 51150346AB
- 51500346AB
- 51719722BA
- 51759722BA
- 51829722BA
- 51979722BA
- 52109722BA
- 53299722BA
- 53459722BA
SMA Anti Reflux 800g
- 51570742F3
- 52099722BA
- 52099722BB
- 52739722BA
ALFAMINO 400g
- 51200017Y3
- 51210017Y1
- 51220017Y1
- 51250017Y1
- 51390017Y1
- 51420017Y2
- 51430017Y1
- 51460017Y1
- 51690017Y2
- 51690017Y3
- 51700017Y1
- 51710017Y1
- 51740017Y1
- 52760017Y5
- 52790017Y1
- 52860017Y1
- 53100017Y3
- 53110017Y1
- 53140017Y1
- 53140017Y2
- 53150017Y1
Northern Ireland:
SMA First Baby Milk 800gr
Ireland:
SMA Advanced First Baby Milk 800gr
• 51450742F1
SMA Advanced Follow-on Milk 800g
• 51240742F2 • 51890742F2
SMA Comfort 800g
• 52620742F3
SMA First Baby Milk 200ml
• 53070295M• 52860295M• 52870295M• 53220295M• 53230295M
SMA First Baby Milk 800gr
• 51590346AB • 52750346AE
SMA GOLD PREM 2 800g
• 53090742F2
SMA SMALL STEPS First Baby Milk 800gr
• 51540346AD
SMA Alfamino 400g
• 51200017Y3
• 51210017Y1
• 51250017Y1
• 51460017Y1
• 51710017Y1
Nestle, which dominates nearly a quarter of the global $92.2 billion baby nutrition market, has published batch numbers of affected products and is working to minimize potential supply disruptions. Baby food falls under the Nutrition and Health Sciences division, accounting for 16.6 percent of the company’s total sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs in 2024.
