Nestlé is recalling some batches of baby formula, mostly in Europe, due to concerns over contamination with a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. However, the recall doesn’t apply to any products in Canada, according to the company.
The company said it was voluntarily recalling the products, which include batches of its SMA, BEBA and NAN infant formulas, as a “precautionary measure” because of the possible presence of a chemical called cereulide in those batches.
Cereulide is a toxin caused by a certain strain of bacteria that can cause food poisoning and result in severe vomiting and nausea for up to 24 hours, according to Ireland’s food inspection agency, one of the countries affected by the recall. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland also cautioned the toxin may be pre-formed in a food and that it is extremely heat resistant.
“The safety and well-being of babies is our absolute priority,” Nestlé said in a recall notice on its website. “Out of an abundance of caution, Nestlé has decided to perform this voluntary product recall in line with our strict product quality and safety protocols.”
Nestlé told Reuters they tested their products after a quality issue was detected in an ingredient from a supplier. With testing complete, Nestlé says they are using alternative suppliers to ramp up production in an effort to maintain supply of formula.
Nestlé, which makes products ranging from KitKat chocolate bars to Nescafe instant coffee, said late on Monday that no illnesses had been confirmed in connection with the recalled products.
The recall applies to a number of countries, Turkey, Argentina, the U.K., Ireland and other European nations. However, the company confirmed to CBC in an email that the recall did not affect any products within Canada.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also confirmed to CBC that it is not aware of any Canadian distribution of the affected formulas.
“If additional information becomes available or products on the Canadian market are found to be affected and a recall is requested, the CFIA will notify the public by posting recall information on the Recalls and safety alerts website and issuing food recall warnings when required,” a spokesperson for the inspection agency said in a statement.
Nestlé has published a list of affected batch numbers online; batch codes can be found on the bottom of tins or boxes of the formula. The company is advising consumers who have bought the affected formulas not to feed them to their babies and to contact the company for a refund.
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Austria’s health ministry said the recall affected more than 800 products from over 10 Nestlé factories and was the largest in the company’s history. Those figures have not been verified by Nestlé.
The Swiss multinational company, which has seen its shares fall more than three per cent in the last two sessions, controls almost a quarter of the $92.2 billion global infant nutrition market, according to SkyQuest Technology Group.
Nestle does not publish sales data, but infant formula is part of its Nutrition and Health Science division, which accounted for 16.6 per cent of the company’s total 2024 sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs ($158.4 billion Cdn).
The recall, which began on a smaller scale in December, also adds pressure on Philipp Navratil, the company’s new chief executive who is seeking to revive growth through a portfolio review after a period of management upheaval.
