A mother whose three-month-old baby fell seriously ill after being fed a now-recalled batch of infant formula has called for a “full investigation”, saying families do not yet have “the full picture” about what went wrong.
Speaking to media on condition of anonymity, the mother said her son was taken to hospital after developing worsening symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and severe stomach pain. The baby, just three months old at the time, had been fed SMA infant formula produced by Swiss food and drink giant Nestlé since birth.
The mother said she had chosen the formula because she trusted the brand and had been giving it to her son in four-hourly feeds. She bought the product from a local supermarket and continued feeding it to her baby even after he first became unwell, unaware at the time of any potential issue with the product.
Her “heart sank”, she said, when she later discovered that the batches of formula she had been using were among those linked to possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin associated with Bacillus cereus. By then, her baby had already been admitted to hospital.
Earlier this month, Nestlé issued a global recall of specific batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula as a precautionary measure, citing the potential presence of cereulide. The toxin is known to be heat-resistant and, once consumed, can cause a rapid onset of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
The mother described her baby’s condition deteriorating rapidly. She said he developed mottled skin, “blue feet” and alarming “grunting, jerking movements” before being rushed to hospital. After undergoing multiple tests, including two lumbar punctures, doctors diagnosed the baby with meningitis. He is currently being treated with antibiotics.
“We don’t have the full picture of what has happened,” the mother said. “There are too many unanswered questions.”
Nestlé, however, told Sky News that the recall was undertaken purely as a precaution following the detection of a quality issue with an ingredient supplied by a leading supplier. The company said that, to date, “no illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products involved”.
The food giant also stressed that it is “categoric that there is no link between the recall and meningitis”, adding that cereulide “does not cause or transmit meningitis”.
Medical experts note that meningitis can occur when bacteria enter the body and spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract. Professor Michael Benedict, Director of the University of Liverpool’s Brain Infection and Inflammation Group, explained that bacteria can cross the lining of the mouth or gut, enter the bloodstream and either cause sepsis or spread to organs such as the meninges — the protective membranes around the brain — resulting in meningitis.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it has informed clinicians across the country about the recall. In a statement, the agency reiterated that there are currently no confirmed cases linked to the recalled products and noted that symptoms reported can also be consistent with other common winter viruses.
Nevertheless, the agency said it will continue to provide testing where appropriate and monitor the situation closely.
Despite these assurances, the affected mother says she wants a thorough investigation into what caused her son’s illness and whether more could have been done to warn parents sooner.
“If this has happened to my child, it could have happened to others,” she said. “Families deserve clear answers.”