Amid the scandal involving contamination with the toxin cereulide, global manufacturers of baby formulas are recalling their products. Meanwhile, an investigation is underway in France regarding the deaths of two infants, as reported by Euronews.
The French authorities are investigating the details surrounding the deaths of two infants who, according to reports, consumed baby formulas from Nestlé that were recalled due to cereulide contamination.
The French Ministry of Health confirmed to Euronews Health that, at this time, no scientifically substantiated causal link has been established between the consumption of the formulas and the cases of death.
Nestlé stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and actively cooperating by providing all necessary data.
The government of Flanders in Belgium reported that in early January 2026, one of the children fell ill after consuming contaminated Nestlé baby formula.
“The baby experienced vomiting and watery diarrhea, but fortunately, he fully recovered in about ten days. Stool tests confirmed that the illness was caused by cereulide contamination from Nestlé's dairy products,” noted Joris Munens, a representative of the Department of Health.
It was also confirmed that the batch number of the dairy product that caused the illness is included in the overall recall announced across Belgium.
What is cereulide and its dangers for infants?
Cereulide is a thermally stable toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria, which can multiply in food products.
Among the main symptoms of cereulide poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, which can appear soon after consuming milk (from half an hour to three hours); they resemble the manifestations of "stomach flu."
When did the contamination begin?
The situation began to develop in early December of last year. On December 10, Nestlé France announced the recall of baby formulas produced at its plant in Nunspeet (Netherlands) due to suspicions of cereulide contamination.
The contamination occurred due to a Chinese supplier of ARA oil (arachidonic acid), which is a key ingredient in premium baby formulas.
Since late December 2025, all baby formula manufacturers worldwide using ARA oil from this supplier have been required to conduct their own risk assessments to ensure the safety of their products, as reported by Euronews Health from the French Ministry of Agriculture.
In early January 2026, Nestlé extended the recall to other batches of baby formulas in 60 countries, marking it as one of the largest recalls in the company's history, affecting several brands, including SMA, Beba, Guigoz, and Alfamino.
Other companies affected by the situation
In January, Lactalis in France notified the authorities that it was analyzing the situation, not ruling out the possibility of using arachidonic oil from the same supplier in some batches.
After conducting an analysis, Lactalis concluded that there was a potential risk associated with certain batches of baby formulas on the market and recalled batches of its Picot brand that had been sold in 18 countries.
These batches were sold from January 2025, with expiration dates extending to March 2027.
Danone also confirmed the recall of specific batches due to potential cereulide contamination in ARA oil, primarily concerning Aptamil products and related brands in Europe, the UK, and Asia.
Additionally, Vitagermine and Hochdorf Swiss Nutrition also recalled batches of baby formulas from the market in France and Switzerland, respectively.
