Nestle recalls baby formula in several European countries

Swiss food giant Nestle announced on Monday a recall of batches of infant formula in several European countries, notably France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Sweden, as a precautionary measure.

On its website, the group said it had detected a "quality issue" in an ingredient sourced from one of its major suppliers.

Nestle is recalling specific batches of its SMA infant formula, which is sold under different names in different countries, due to the potential presence of cereulide.

Once consumed, the toxin can lead to a rapid onset of symptoms including nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. So far, there are no known cases of illness related to the consumption of the food.

"Nestle has undertaken testing of all arachidonic acid oil and corresponding oil mixes used in the production of potentially impacted infant nutrition products," it said on its website.

"No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products involved to date."

Nestle said it was in contact with authorities in the relevant countries "to ensure the necessary steps are taken".

"Nestle assures parents and caregivers that it is implementing appropriate actions, including a product recall where necessary."

Nestle France said it was carrying out a "preventive and voluntary recall" of certain batches of its Guigoz and Nidal infant formulas after new investigations showed the potential presence of cereulide, a toxin that can cause digestive issues.

The company posted pictures on local versions of its website showing the batch numbers of affected products, which are sold under different names. In Germany they are called Beba and Alfamino.

Nestle provided instructions for returning the products and obtaining a refund, as well as a phone number to answer consumer questions.