Nestlé’s recall of certain batches of infant nutrition products has expanded beyond Europe to Africa, the Americas and Asia, including Brazil, China and South Africa.
- Nestlé has expanded its recall of certain infant nutrition products internationally, impacting regions such as Africa, the Americas, and Asia.
- The recall involves products such as SMA, BEBA, NAN, and Alfamino formulas, suspected of contamination with cereulide toxin.
- Authorities in 37 countries have issued warnings regarding the affected products, highlighting their global distribution.
- This recall represents a significant challenge for Nestlé’s management.
Nestlé’s recall of certain batches of infant nutrition products has expanded beyond Europe to Africa, the Americas and Asia, including Brazil, China and South Africa, according to the company and national food safety agencies.
South Africa’s National Consumer Commission said the NAN formula being recalled was produced in June 2025 and has a shelf life of about 18 months, adding that it was also exported to Namibia and Eswatini.
Nestlé said no illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the recalled SMA, BEBA, NAN, and Alfamino formulas, but the company is recalling the products “out of an abundance of caution” due to possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting, Reuters reported.
Nestle promised refunds for customers and said the problem was caused by an ingredient provided by one of its suppliers.
Health authorities in at least 37 countries have issued warnings about the products, covering most of Europe as well as Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and South Africa.
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Impact and investigations
The widening recall adds pressure on the KitKat and Nescafé maker and its new chief executive, Philipp Navratil, who is seeking to revive growth through a portfolio review following recent management changes. Nestlé shares are down about 5.7% this week.
Brazil’s health ministry stated that the recall was a precautionary measure following the detection of the toxin in products originating from the Netherlands. Nestlé Australia said the affected batches there were manufactured in Switzerland, while Nestlé China said it was recalling formula imported from Europe.
Austria’s health ministry stated that the recall affected more than 800 products from over 10 factories, describing it as Nestlé’s largest recall to date, a claim the company said it could not independently verify.
Nestlé said it had tested all arachidonic acid oil and related oil blends used in the potentially affected products after identifying a quality issue in an ingredient supplied by a leading vendor.
