The United Arab Emirates has issued a recall of specific batches of Nestlé infant formula products following concerns over the potential presence of cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus, the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) announced on Wednesday.
The EDE clarified that the recall is voluntary and precautionary, and was implemented in coordination with Nestlé, after traces of Bacillus cereus were detected in one of the raw materials used during production.
According to the authority, the recall in the UAE applies to limited batches of the following Nestlé infant nutrition products:
The EDE emphasized that the recall is batch-specific, and that other Nestlé infant nutrition products and unaffected batches remain safe to consume.
The action follows the discovery that a raw material used in manufacturing contained traces of Bacillus cereus, a bacterium capable of producing cereulide, a heat-stable toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting if ingested. Powdered infant formula is not sterile, and strict controls are required to ensure product safety.
Consumers in the UAE are advised to:
Check the batch numbers of their products
Stop using affected batches immediately
Return recalled products to the point of purchase for a refund or replacement
Contact Nestlé consumer services for further assistance
The EDE stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and will take additional measures if necessary to ensure public health protection.
Nestlé confirmed that the recall is being carried out out of an abundance of caution, in full cooperation with UAE authorities, and reiterated that no confirmed illnesses related to the affected products have been reported to date.