Nestle said it was recalling some batches of its infant nutrition products, i
ncluding SMA, BEBA and NAN formulas, mostly in Europe, due to possible contamination with a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting.
The recall, which began on a smaller scale in December, adds pressure on new Chief Executive Philipp Navratil, who is seeking to re
vive growth through a portfolio review after a period of management upheaval.
Nestle, which makes products ranging from KitKat to Nescafe, said late on Monday that no illnesses had been confirmed in connection with the recalled products.
After a quality issue was detected in an ingredient from a leading supplier, Nestle undertook “testing of all arachidonic acid oil
and corresponding oil mixes used in the production of its potentially impacted infant nutrition products,” a Nestle spokesperson said.
With testing complete, Nestle has recalled affected products and is activating alternative suppliers of arachidonic acid oil, r
amping up production at several factories and accelerating the release of unaffected products from distribution centers to maintain supply.
Food Poisoning Symptoms Can Quickly Develop
Problems with baby formula can be damaging for companies. Reckitt is exploring options, including a sale, for its Mea
Johnson business, which faces hundreds of lawsuits in the U.S. over claims – which it denies – that its infant formula can cause a fatal intestinal illness in premature babies.
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Nestle, whose shares have fallen more than 3% 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% of total sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs ($115.4 billion) in 2024.
Nestle said the recall covered batches sold across Europe, as well as in Turkey and Argentina, due to possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus.
The toxin “is unlikely to be deactivated or destroyed by cooking, using
boiling water or when making the infant milk,” said Britain’s Food Standards Agency.
“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.
Largest Recall in Nestle History, Says Austrian Ministry
Austria’s health ministry said the recall affected more than 800 products from over 10 Nestle factories and was the largest in the
company’s history. A Nestle spokesperson could not verify those figures.