Nestlé recall of some baby formulas does not apply to Canadian products, company says

Nestlé is recalling some batches of baby food, mostly from Europe, over concerns about contamination with a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. However, the recall does not affect any products in Canada, the company said.

The company said it is voluntarily recalling products that include lots of SMA, BEBA and NAN infant formula as a “precautionary measure” due to the possible presence of a chemical called cereulide in these lots.

According to the company, cereulide is a toxin caused by a specific strain of bacteria that can cause food poisoning and lead to severe vomiting and nausea for up to 24 hours. Irish Food Inspection Agencyone of the countries affected by the recall. The Irish Food Safety Authority also warned that the toxin may be preformed in food and that it is extremely heat stable.

“The safety and well-being of children is our absolute priority,” Nestlé said in a statement. notice of revocation on your website. “Out of an abundance of caution, Nestlé has decided to conduct a voluntary recall in accordance with our strict quality and product safety protocols.”

Nestlé told Reuters it tested its products after an ingredient quality problem was discovered at a supplier. Following the completion of the trial, Nestlé says it is using alternative suppliers to increase production to maintain supply of formula.

Nestlé, which makes products ranging from KitKat chocolate bars to Nescafe instant coffee, said late Monday that no illnesses have been confirmed linked to the recalled products.

The recall applies to a number of countries, including Turkey, Argentina, the UK, Ireland and other European countries. However, the company confirmed to CBC in an email that the recall will not affect any products in Canada.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also confirmed to CBC that it is not aware of any distribution of the affected formulas in Canada.

“If additional information becomes available or products on the Canadian market are found to be affected by this issue and a recall is requested, CFIA will notify the public by posting recall information on Recalls and Safety Alerts Website and issuing food recall alerts when necessary,” an inspection agency spokesperson said in a statement.

Nestlé published list of affected lot numbers online; Batch codes can be found on the bottom of formula jars or boxes. The company advises consumers who purchased the affected formulas not to feed them to their children 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 more than 10 Nestlé factories and was the largest in the company's history. These figures have not been confirmed by Nestlé.

The Swiss multinational, whose shares have fallen more than three percent in the last two sessions, controls nearly a quarter of the $92.2 billion global baby food market, according to SkyQuest Technology Group.

Nestle does not release sales figures, but infant formula is part of its Nutrition and Health Science division, which accounted for 16.6% of the company's total 2024 sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs ($158.4 billion Canadian).

The recall, which began on a smaller scale in December, also increases pressure on Philippe Navratil, the company's new chief executive, who is seeking to revive growth by overhauling the portfolio after a period of management turmoil.