- Nestlé recalls certain infant formula batches
- Possible contamination with bacillus cereus toxin
- Affected products sold in several European countries
Philipp Navratil, the new CEO, is under further pressure to revive growth through a portfolio review after a period of unstable management. The recall began on a smaller scale in December.
The manufacturer of everything from KitKats to Nescafe, Nestle, declared late on Monday that no diseases had been connected to the recalled products.
According to a Nestle official, the company tested
"all arachidonic acid oil and corresponding oil mixes used in the production of its potentially impacted infant nutrition products"
after a major supplier's ingredient was found to have a quality issue.
Following the completion of testing, Nestle increased production at many factories, accelerated product release, recalled the affected products, and activated arachidonic acid oil sources.
If there are problems with baby formula, businesses can suffer. Reckitt (RKT.L) opens a new tab and considers options, including a sale, for its Mead Johnson business, which is the focus of hundreds of lawsuits in the US due to claims that its newborn formula might cause a deadly bowel disorder in premature infants. The business refutes these accusations.
Nestle, whose stock has fallen more than 3% during the past two sessions, controls about a quarter of the $92.2 billion global infant nutrition market.
Nestle's Nutrition and Health Science segment, which accounted for 16.6% of the company's total sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs ($115.4 billion) in 2024, includes infant formula. Sales numbers are not disclosed by Nestle.
Cereulide, a toxin generated by some strains of Bacillus cereus, may have contaminated quantities distributed throughout Europe, Turkey, and Argentina, according to Nestle.
"Cereulide ... can cause food poisoning symptoms which can be quick to develop and include vomiting and stomach cramps,"
said Jane Rawling, head of incidents at the FSA.
The British Food Standards Agency states that the toxin
"is unlikely to be deactivated or destroyed by cooking, using boiling water or when making the infant milk."
The health minister of Austria claims that the recall, which included more than 800 products from more than ten plants, was the largest in Nestle's history. Those figures could not be verified by a Nestle spokesperson.
In an effort to reduce supply interruption, Nestle disclosed batch numbers for products sold in several nations that shouldn't be consumed.
The company claimed to have discovered a potential risk at one site in the Netherlands. According to the Dutch food safety organization NVWA, Nestle's investigation showed that the contaminated raw material had been used at multiple production locations, including those outside the Netherlands.
What symptoms does cereulide poisoning cause in infants?
Cereulide poisoning in babies generally causes a veritably fast- onset vomiting illness, occasionally with fresh gut symptoms, but generally without fever.
Rapid vomiting, sudden, frequently repeated puking starting about 1 – 6 hours after consuming a polluted formula. Babies may appear veritably uncomfortable, cry hardly, pull up their legs, or have a tense, painful breadbasket.
In some cases puking is violent, raising concern for dehumidification( smaller wet nappies, dry mouth, languor). Symptoms generally last 6 – 24 hours, but vulnerable groups similar to babies are at an advanced threat of complications, so medical advice should be sought urgently if a baby has repeated puking, doziness, or signs of dehumidification.