Nestlé has extended its recall of SMA infant formula after cereulide – a bacterial toxin that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea – was detected in the product, according to an updated alert from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The latest update, issued on 3 February, adds one further batch to the recall and applies to SMA First Infant Milk (800g). The newly included batch (code 53390346AB, best before December 2027) was distributed only in Northern Ireland.
Retailers are being urged to remove affected stock from sale immediately and follow their usual product withdrawal procedures. The FSA continues to advise consumers not to use the products and to share a photo of the product and the batch code via https://www.nestle.co.uk/en-gb/getintouch or call the careline on 0800 0 81 81 80 for a refund.
Nestlé have also added a tool to their website that will help to identify if a batch is or not under the scope of the recall.
The FSA also advised parents and carers to seek advice from healthcare professionals, using the most appropriate route depending on where they live – for example, by visiting their GP or calling NHS 111 – if they have fed this product to a baby and have any concerns about potential health impact.
The extension follows Nestlé’s precautionary recall of 25 batches of infant formula across 16 European countries in December, after routine checks at its Dutch factory detected “very low levels” of cereulide following the installation of new equipment. Nestlé said production was halted and further testing carried out, with authorities notified on 10 December once minute quantities were confirmed in products that had not left the warehouse.
However, scrutiny has intensified after France’s Le Monde reported that traces of the toxin were identified in late November - around 10 days before the first recalls. Consumer rights group foodwatch has since filed a criminal complaint in Paris on behalf of eight families whose babies it says became ill after consuming contaminated formula, alleging delays in warning the public.
In a statement, Nestlé reiterated that the issue stemmed from a “quality issue” and said it has seen no evidence directly linking its products to illness. The company also noted that regulations do not currently set a maximum limit for cereulide.
The incident has prompted wider action across the category, with Danone and Lactalis among manufacturers that have also withdrawn batches of infant formula in recent weeks over possible cereulide contamination – including products sold in the UK.