The investigation found that the contaminated ingredients used in infant formula were first supplied in late 2024 and that contamination continued throughout 2025.
Infants presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming infant formula have been reported in several countries. They are trying to find out if the friar was a vector for the disease. Most cases had mild gastrointestinal symptoms, but some cases of hospitalization due to dehydration were reported.
Nestlé, Lactalis and Danone are among eight companies that have recalled their products after cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus, was detected. This toxin can cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain between 30 minutes and 6 hours after ingestion.
Cereulide was found in raw arachidonic acid (ARA) oil from a Chinese supplier. Samples of infant formula products tested positive for cereulide, and some products had an expiration date of 2027.
Cerulide contamination of infant nutrition products was first identified by Nestlé in late November 2025 at its Nunspeet manufacturing plant in the Netherlands, from which supplies were subsequently cut off. The recall was issued on December 10, 2025.
Analysis of 65 batches of ARA oil received from Chinese producers between April 2023 and October 2025 found that contamination began in October 2024 and continued throughout 2025, with concentrations highest upon delivery in July 2025.
In January 2026, the European Commission asked the International Network of Food Safety Authorities (INFOSAN) to contact Chinese authorities to obtain information about contaminated batches of ARA oil from Chinese producers and their distribution, root cause analysis and corrective actions taken. This information is not yet available.
Suspected patients by country
Confirming cases is difficult because symptoms can mimic common viral gastrointestinal infections and tests for cerulide in stool samples are not routinely available, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
There are eight infants in Belgium who have tested positive based on clinical samples. All eight recalled infant formula. Cereulide was detected in formula consumed by five infants.
In Spain, 41 infants with gastrointestinal symptoms were reported with a history of consuming the recalled product. The Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Authority received 20 reports of suspected cases. Two out of three milk powder samples taken from the family’s home contained cereulide.
In Luxembourg, clinical samples from three infants were negative, but the formula consumed by one of them was positive. In France, 11 hospitalized infants are being investigated. Five of them consumed recalled infant formula, but for the remaining six, this information was not known.
The Danish Veterinary, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency has been contacted by parents of 32 infants who developed symptoms following the December 2025 recall. Some infants consumed the recalled infant formula, while others used a different batch. According to local media, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has received more than 100 reports of children who may have become ill after drinking infant formula.
In Austria, four infants reported falling ill shortly after receiving formula. In one infant, cereulide was detected in the consumed formula. Two infants consumed product from the recalled batch and one infant consumed formula from the non-recalled batch. Children aged 11 months and younger became ill in January and February 2026, with one child admitted to hospital.
There are 44 infants in the UK who developed symptoms after consuming the recalled formula. Test results confirmed the presence of cerulide. In Singapore, there have been three reported cases of people ingesting the product with symptoms related to exposure to cereulide.
