Leading global dairy producers continue to recall infant formulas as an investigation is underway in France regarding the deaths of two infants, as reported by Euronews.
French authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the causes of the deaths of two infants who are believed to have consumed Nestlé formulas from batches recalled due to ceruletide contamination.
The French Ministry of Health confirmed that there is currently no scientifically substantiated evidence of a direct link between the consumption of the formulas and the tragic cases.
Nestlé stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and actively cooperating by providing necessary information.
Authorities in Flanders, Belgium, confirmed a case of illness in a child in January 2026 after consuming contaminated Nestlé formula.
According to Joris Munens, a representative of the Department of Health, the child exhibited vomiting and watery diarrhea but fortunately fully recovered within 10 days. Laboratory stool tests confirmed that the illness was associated with ceruletide toxin from Nestlé dairy products.
It was also established that the batch number from which the illness case in Flanders originated is included in the list of recalled formulas.
What is ceruletide and what threat does it pose to infants?
Ceruletide is a thermally stable toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria, which can develop in food products.
The most common symptoms of ceruletide poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, which can occur within 30 minutes to three hours after consuming milk, and they may resemble symptoms of intestinal flu.
When did the contamination issue begin?
The situation began in early December of last year when on December 10, Nestlé France announced the recall of infant formulas produced at the factory in Nunspeet (Netherlands) due to possible ceruletide contamination.
The contamination occurred due to a single Chinese supplier of ARA oil (arachidonic acid), which is a key ingredient in premium infant formulas.
Since late December 2025, all manufacturers of infant formulas 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 the French Ministry of Agriculture.
In early January 2026, Nestlé expanded the recall to additional batches of formulas in 60 countries, marking one of the largest recalls in the company's history, affecting several brands including SMA, Beba, Guigoz, and Alfamino.
Other companies in a difficult position
In January, Lactalis informed the authorities that it was assessing the situation, not ruling out that some batches may have used arachidonic oil from the same supplier.
After analysis, Lactalis concluded that there was a potential risk in some batches of infant formulas on the market and recalled batches of its Picot brand sold in 18 countries.
The recalled batches began selling in January 2025, with expiration dates extending to March 2027.
Danone also confirmed the recall of batches of its products, including Aptamil and other related brands in Europe, the UK, and Asia, due to possible ceruletide contamination in ARA oil.
Additionally, two other companies—Vitagermine and Hochdorf Swiss Nutrition—also withdrew batches of infant formulas from the market in France and Switzerland, respectively.
