In France, an investigation is underway following the tragic deaths of two infants who are believed to have consumed baby formulas from Nestlé that were subject to a global recall. The French Ministry of Health stated that, at this time, no scientifically proven link has been established between the poisoning and the deaths.
Representatives from Nestlé reported that they are closely monitoring the situation and actively cooperating with authorities, providing all necessary information.
In Belgium, the Flemish government confirmed a case of illness in a child in January 2026 after consuming contaminated formula from Nestlé. "The baby experienced vomiting and diarrhea, but fortunately, after 10 days, he fully recovered. Tests showed that the cause was contamination with cerulide from the Nestlé dairy product," said Joris Munens, a representative of the Department of Health.
It was also confirmed that the batch of dairy products linked to the child's illness is included in the list of recalled formulas.
What is cerulide and why is it dangerous for infants?
Cerulide is a thermally stable toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria, which can proliferate in food products.
Symptoms of cerulide poisoning may include vomiting and diarrhea, which appear soon after consuming milk (within 30 minutes to three hours) and can resemble "stomach flu."
When did the contamination begin?
The scandal erupted in early December of last year when, on December 10, Nestlé France announced the recall of baby formulas produced at the factory in Nunspeet (Netherlands) due to suspected cerulide contamination.
According to the investigation, the source of contamination was ARA (arachidonic acid) oil supplied by one of the Chinese suppliers, which is an important ingredient in premium baby formulas.
Since late December 2025, all baby formula manufacturers using this oil have been required to conduct their own checks to ensure product safety, according to information from the French Ministry of Agriculture.
In early January 2026, Nestlé expanded the recall to additional batches of baby 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 affected by the scandal
The French company Lactalis also notified authorities that it is checking its batches, as it does not rule out the possibility of using arachidonic oil from the same supplier in some of them. As a result of the analysis, Lactalis decided to recall batches of its Picot brand sold in 18 countries.
These batches have been on sale since January 2025 and had expiration dates until March 2027.
Danone also confirmed the recall of certain batches of products due to potential cerulide contamination in ARA oil, primarily concerning Aptamil products and related brands in Europe, the UK, and Asia.
Additionally, two companies—Vitagermine and Hochdorf Swiss Nutrition—also withdrew batches of baby formulas from the market in France and Switzerland, respectively.
