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Over the last few days, the food scare linked to infant milk has become even more widespread than the first wave of recalls triggered by Nestlé at the beginning of January 2026.
In addition to the Swiss group, other major brands are now concerned by the withdrawal from the market of products likely to be contaminated by cereulide, a toxin produced by the Bacillus cereus bacterium, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps in infants and young children.
According to the information available to date, the problem can be traced back to a single Chinese supplier of ARA oil, the arachidonic acid used in top-of-the-range formulas to mimic the lipid composition of breast milk. Cereulide is a heat-resistant toxin, which means that it is eliminated neither by the eThe cereulide is a heat-resistant toxin, which means that it is not eliminated either by water boiling or by the usual bottle preparation processes, making it a potentially serious risk in the event of contamination.
Nestlé was the first company to react, announcing a voluntary recall in early January 2026, which quickly took on a global dimension. The products concerned have been withdrawn in over sixty countries and include well-known brands such as SMA, Beba, Guigoz, Nidal, Alfamino and, in some markets, Nan.
Nestlé's handling of the recall has come under fire from consumer associations. According to an investigation by foodwatch Netherlands, the group received initial confirmation of the problem as early as the beginning of December 2025, whereas public recalls were not launched until several weeks later, with information initially being disseminated in a piecemeal fashion.
In recent days, Lactalis has also confirmed the withdrawal of six batches of Picot brand infant milk, distributed in 18 countries. The products had been on the market since January 2025, with expiry dates up to March 2027.
The company explained that it had immediately launched analyses by an accredited independent laboratory and stressed that, at this stage, the French authorities had not yet taken any action. French authorities had not reported any complaints or cases of adverse reactions linked to the consumption of the withdrawn products. Lactalis said it fully understood parents' concerns and had taken preventive action as soon as it received the alert about the suspect ingredient.
For the time being, Danone's involvement appears to be more limited. A single batch produced in Thailand was blocked at the request of the Singapore Food Agency, as a precautionary measure, before the product reached the local market. The company stated that the checks carried out had not revealed any irregularities or deviations from good manufacturing practice, and that the products had only been blocked as a precautionary measure.
The picture that emerges is one of a crisis linked not to isolated factories, but to a vulnerability in the global ingredients supply chain. The use of a common component by several companies explains why the problem quickly took on an international dimension, affecting markets in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania.
Danone issued a statement: "All our products are manufactured in compliance with rigorous food safety and quality standards, and undergo extensive testing before leaving our production sites, stating that the products have been blocked as a precautionary measure. All checks confirm that the products are safe and fully comply with international and local regulations, and no irregularities or deviations have been found in relation to Bacillus cereus and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)".
The recommendations to parents remain the same: carefully check the batch number and expiry date shown on the packaging, do not use the products affected by the recalls, and consult your paediatrician if you have any doubts or gastrointestinal symptoms in your children.
(©Greenme.it/Managing Editor: Selma Keshkire - The Press Junction/Picture: Unsplash)