Parents are urged to verify and avoid using a batch of Aptamil baby formula due to concerns about a potential harmful toxin. Danone has issued a recall for a specific batch of its Aptamil First Infant Formula amid worries that it may contain a toxin capable of causing vomiting and stomach cramps.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has indicated that only one batch sold in the UK is impacted, although additional batches in other countries are also affected. The FSA has confirmed the presence of the toxin cereulide in a batch distributed in the UK.
Darren Whitby, head of incidents and resilience at the FSA, emphasized the importance of informing parents, guardians, and caregivers about the recalled batch of Aptamil First Infant Formula (800g).
If you have purchased batch 31-10-2026 of Aptamil First Infant Formula 800g with a best-before date of October 31, 2026, it is advised not to feed this product to infants or young children. In case you have already fed this formula to a baby and are concerned about potential health effects, seek guidance from healthcare professionals by contacting your GP or NHS 111.
Cereulide, a toxin produced by the food poisoning bacteria Bacillus cereus, can lead to food poisoning symptoms such as rapid onset vomiting and stomach cramps.
Boots, a retailer of the formula, has also issued a warning on its Facebook page alerting parents about the affected batch. They have instructed customers who purchased this product to return it to the store for a full refund, regardless of having a receipt.
This recall follows Nestle’s recall of certain baby formula products due to potential contamination with the same food poisoning toxin. Nestle flagged several batches of SMA infant formula and follow-on formula as unsafe for consumption by babies.
The issue stemmed from an ingredient supplied by a major supplier. Jane Rawling, head of incidents at the FSA, reiterated the advice against feeding infants or young children with the affected products due to the presence of cereulide.
Nestle products affected by the recall include a range of infant formulas. For detailed information on the recalled batches, visit food.gov.uk or the Nestle website.
Nestle mentioned that no confirmed illnesses have been linked to the affected products so far. The company is cooperating with UK authorities and has initiated a voluntary recall of specific batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula as a precautionary measure.