Nestlé has launched a large recall of infant formula after detecting a potential contamination with a toxin. The move affects products sold in several countries, including Switzerland, Germany and Austria, and ranks among the biggest recalls in the company’s history.
The products concerned are marketed mainly under the Beba brand, as well as specialist formulas such as Alfamino. Nestlé has urged parents to stop using the affected batches immediately and return them to retailers. It has published country-by-country notices listing the batches involved. No illnesses linked to the products have been reported.
The recall follows extensive internal testing, according to the company, though it has not disclosed where the checks were carried out. Austrian authorities say more than 800 products from over ten factories worldwide are affected. The problem has been traced to a technical cleaning fault at a supplier, which contaminated an oil used as an ingredient. A full list of affected products can be found here.
Small quantities of cereulide—a heat-resistant toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting—were detected in two samples during official inspections in Austria. The country’s health ministry said the concentrations were so low as to pose no risk. Nestlé described the presence of cereulide in oils as highly unusual and said it was working with the supplier to identify the root cause.
To secure supplies, the company is switching temporarily to alternative suppliers and increasing output at several plants. It had already removed the affected products from shop shelves during the Christmas period in what it described as a precautionary step.
Some analysts have played down the episode. In a note, Helvetische Bank said the scale of the recall reflected Nestlé’s global manufacturing and distribution network rather than the seriousness of the risk. The issue, it argued, appears operationally contained and manageable from a regulatory and reputational standpoint.
More on this:
Nestlé statement (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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