Danone is recalling specific batches of its Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant formula due to the possible presence of cereulide.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said that cereulide toxin is produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus.

“The toxin may be pre-formed in a food and is extremely heat resistant. Consumption of foods containing cereulide toxin can lead to nausea and severe vomiting.

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"Symptoms can appear within five hours. The duration of illness is usually six to 24 hours,” it said.

Products being recalled

Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at point of sale. 

Wholesalers and distributors are requested to contact their affected customers and recall the implicated batches and provide a point-of-sale recall notice to their retailer customers.

Parents, guardians and caregivers are advised not to feed the implicated batches to infants or young children.

Advice for parents

Danone is advising customers to contact its Aptamil care team on 1800 22 1234 or its Cow & Gate team on 1800 570 570 if they have any queries regarding this recall. 

In addition, Danone is recalling specific batches of its Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant formula and follow-on formula sold in the UK due to the possible presence of cereulide. The batches may have been indirectly distributed to Ireland from the UK.

A spokesperson for Danone said: “Danone never compromises on food safety and we want to reassure all parents that we take this responsibility seriously.

We have recalled specific batches of Aptamil and Cow & Gate products in Ireland, in line with the latest guidance

“All our baby formulas are produced under strict food safety and quality standards and undergo rigorous checks before leaving our factories.

“We have recalled specific batches of Aptamil and Cow & Gate products in Ireland, in line with the latest guidance related to cereulide from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.”

Low levels of cereulide were identified in some specific batches and Danone has replaced them with new products, the spokesperson said.

“All products available for purchase are safe to use. To date, there are no confirmed cases of sickness or symptoms linked to our products. If their baby is unwell, we recommend parents speak to their healthcare professional.”