Nestle India denies selling recalled or withdrawn baby formula products amid global alert

NEW DELHI: Food and beverage giant Nestle confirmed that it does not import or sell any of their recently globally recalled products in India, as they manufacture everything locally. The Switzerland-headquartered company had said on Tuesday that it has recalled certain batches of their products after testing of arachidonic acid (ARA) oil and corresponding oil mixes detected a “quality issue with an ingredient provided by a leading supplier.”

Nestle India stated, “Nestle India does not import or sell any of the affected products or batches that have been withdrawn or recalled. All infant formula brands sold in India are manufactured locally. We have conducted thorough testing on these products and can confirm that they meet all FSSAI and applicable rules and regulations.”

Nestle India has further stated that recalls have been initiated as a precautionary measure, but no illnesses have been reported so far.

“At Nestle India, the safety and well-being of our consumers is our top priority. All our products are in full compliance with FSSAI and applicable rules and regulations. Following the detection of a quality issue with an ingredient provided by a leading supplier, Nestle has initiated a precautionary recall/withdrawal in some countries for certain infant formula product batches produced in Europe. No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products involved to date”, they clarified.

Nestle has issued a voluntary recall of certain infant formula products, including SMA, BEBA, and NAN, due to potential contamination with cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria. Multiple countries, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, and Switzerland, Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, New Zealand and more have issued a public recall of the product.

In an official statement by Nestle, symptoms due to Cereulide, “a substance of bacterial origin that causes foodborne illness,” could include severe or persistent vomiting, diarrhea, or unusual lethargy. These symptoms would typically appear between 30 minutes to 6 hours after any exposure. However, no reported cases of such illness has been confirmed in any of the countries.

Nestle said in the statement, “If no symptoms are displayed, there is no cause for concern of any health impact. If you have any concerns about your child’s health or nutrition, we advise you to talk to your pediatrician or healthcare provider. Regardless of whether symptoms are present, parents and caregivers are instructed to discontinue use of the product in accordance with the recall notice (if applicable in their market).” (ANI)