Nestlé has announced a recall of specific batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula after identifying the potential presence of a toxin that could cause gastrointestinal illness, prompting warnings from both the company and UK food safety authorities.
The food producer said late on Monday that the affected products may contain cereulide, a toxin that can lead to nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps if consumed. Nestlé and Britain’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) published a list of batch numbers for products that should not be eaten and urged parents and carers to check supplies immediately.
The FSA warned that cereulide poses a particular risk because it is highly resistant to heat. The regulator said the toxin is unlikely to be deactivated by boiling water, cooking or standard preparation methods used when making infant formula, meaning contamination would not be eliminated during normal use. Consumption can lead to a rapid onset of symptoms, it added.
Nestlé said there had been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the affected products so far. In a notice to customers, the company provided careline numbers for the United Kingdom and Ireland and said consumers who had purchased the recalled formula would be eligible for refunds.
The recall was described by Nestlé as a precautionary step rather than a response to reported harm. “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,” the company said.
In Sri Lanka?
I just checked with Nestle Sri Lanka, and none of the products in Sri Lanka have been recalled. The recall applies only to a few overseas markets.