Urgent warning as food giant recalls baby formula products over food poisoning toxin
Nestlé has recalled several baby food products over concerns they may contain food poisoning toxins.
The company has confirmed that certain lines of its SMA infant and follow-on formulas are not safe for babies.
The FSA warned that affected batches may contain cerulide toxin, which causes nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Nestlé apologized to customers and confirmed that no related illnesses had been reported.
It was stated that the problem was caused by content coming from a leading supplier.
Jane Rawling, FSA’s incident officer, said: “The FSA’s advice is that parents, guardians and carers should not feed babies or young children these products.
“Cereulide is a toxin produced by the bacteria Bacillus Cereus, which causes food poisoning, and can cause food poisoning symptoms that can develop rapidly and include vomiting and stomach cramps.
“I want to reassure parents, guardians and carers that we will take urgent action and help remove all affected products from sale as a precaution.
“If you have given this product to a baby and have any concerns about its possible health effects you should seek advice from healthcare professionals by contacting your doctor or calling NHS 111.”
Nestle products affected by the recall include SMA Advanced First Baby Milk, SMA Advanced Follow-on Milk, SMA Anti Reflux, SMA Alfamino, SMA First Baby Milk, SMA Little Steps First Baby Milk, SMA Comfort and SMA Lactose-Free.
You can find more details about which batches have been recalled at food.gov.uk or on the Nestle website.
The risk statement adds: “The possible presence of cereulidine (toxin) makes these products unsafe to consume.
“Cereulide is a toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Cereulide is highly heat-stable, meaning it is unlikely to be inactivated or destroyed by cooking, using boiling water, or making baby milk. If consumed, it can lead to rapid onset of symptoms.”
Symptoms caused by this toxin include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
The company said in a statement: “Following the identification of a quality issue with an ingredient supplied by a leading supplier, Nestle began testing all arachidonic acid (ARA) oil and related oil blends used in the production of potentially affected infant nutrition products.
“To date, no illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products in question.
“The company is in contact with UK authorities and is voluntarily recalling certain batches of SMA infant formula and follow-on formula as a precaution.
“Nestle reassures parents and carers that it is taking appropriate precautions to protect the health and well-being of families and their babies.
“At the same time, the company is working to minimize possible supply disruptions.
“Nestle is committed to keeping parents, carers and the public informed and providing clear, transparent information and support throughout this process.”
