Yet another major recall for baby formula has been announced. This time, it involves products sold outside the U.S. that were contaminated with a toxin called cereulide in a contaminated ingredient from China.
The recalls were announced by infant formula manufacturers Nestlé, Danone, and Lactalis, for hundreds of baby formula product lines that were shipped out to more than 65 countries on 5 continents.
The formula contained an ingredient, arachidonic acid-rich (ARA) oil, which was sourced from a single laboratory in Wuhan, China. The oil was contaminated with a toxin called cereulide, which causes vomiting and diarrhea.
France is investigating the deaths of 2 infants who consumed the formula, but the health ministry said: “To date, no causal link has been scientifically established.”
In response, the European Union food safety regulators have recommended a significant reduction in the acceptable levels of cereulide in infant formula.
Cereulide is a toxin produced by the bacteria Bacillus cereus, which is widespread in the environment. “The presence of cereulide in oils is very uncommon,” according to Nestlé.
The bacteria is more commonly known to cause fried rice syndrome, a type of food poisoning that occurs when food, especially starchy foods like rice or pasta, are left at room temperature for too long.
Source: Nestlé and Danone hit by backlash over contaminated baby formula
Editor’s note: For more information on food poisoning outbreak lawsuits and your legal rights, please contact the nationally recognized food poisoning lawyers at Ron Simon & Associates. Ron Simon’s groundbreaking work on behalf of victims in recent national foodborne illness outbreaks has been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and virtually all other major television networks and print media.