Danone has recalled further batches of its Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant formula amid growing concern after dozens of babies were left sickened – and some hospitalised – with suspected toxic poisoning.
The move comes a day after health officials revealed 36 babies across the UK have developed symptoms consistent with cereulide toxin exposure after consuming contaminated formula.
The UK Health Security Agency said it has received 24 reports in England, seven in Scotland, three in Wales, one in Northern Ireland and one from the Crown Dependencies, with cases involving nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Some infants required hospital treatment.
In response, the Food Standards Agency issued an alert this afternoon urging parents and caregivers to check batch numbers immediately and stop using any affected products.
The recall affects specific batches of Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant and follow-on formula, in addition to products included in Danone’s earlier recall.
Full details are listed in the FSA’s Product Recall Information Notices.
The latest action follows recent recalls by Nestlé of several SMA infant and follow-on formula products due to the same contamination issue.
All other batches of Aptamil, Cow & Gate and SMA not listed in the recall notices remain safe to use, officials said.
Danone and Nestlé have both confirmed to the FSA that they are no longer using ingredients from the affected supplier, and that products currently on sale do not contain the contaminated ingredient.
Major retailers including Tesco and Co-op continue to stock unaffected formula, meaning supplies should still be available for parents.
However, officials warned the main risk is that affected batches may already be in people’s cupboards at home.
Katie Pettifer, Chief Executive of the FSA, said: ‘Please check if you have Aptamil, Cow & Gate or SMA formula at home. The affected batches are unlikely to still be on shop shelves but may be in your cupboard.
‘If you have an affected batch, do not use it. You can return it to the store and exchange it for an unaffected batch.
‘If you are feeding your baby one of the affected batches, stop using it and switch to an unaffected batch from the same or another brand. If the formula was prescribed, speak to a pharmacist or doctor before changing.’
She added: ‘The risk of harm to children from cereulide contamination at these levels is low, but it can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. If your baby has recently consumed an affected batch and you are concerned about symptoms, contact your GP or call NHS 111.’
Officials said the contamination in both the Danone and Nestlé products originated from a shared third-party ingredient supplier in China.
The toxin is believed to have come from an oil added during production – arachidonic acid (ARA) oil, an omega-6 fatty acid naturally found in breast milk but only optionally added to formula.
ARA oil is produced using microbial fermentation, a process that involves growing bacteria to generate specific compounds. If not tightly controlled, harmful bacteria can develop, producing toxins such as cereulide.
Cereulide is a highly heat-resistant toxin, meaning it is unlikely to be destroyed by boiling water or during formula preparation. It disrupts the body’s ability to produce energy and is most commonly associated with food poisoning from contaminated rice, pasta and dairy products.
Health officials continue to investigate the source of the contamination and are monitoring for further cases.
