Cereulide Risk Triggers SFDA Warning On Nutricia-Danone Aptamil And Bebelac Infant Formula

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has alerted parents and caregivers to a precautionary recall of selected infant formula products in Saudi Arabia, after Nutricia-Danone reported a possible safety issue affecting specific Aptamil and Bebelac batches.

The authority explained that the company had voluntarily informed regulators of potential contamination of some infant formula batches with Cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria, leading the SFDA to support a targeted recall for consumer protection.

According to the SFDA, exposure to Cereulide can trigger symptoms between 30 minutes and six hours after a child consumes an affected product, and these symptoms may include nausea, repeated vomiting and abdominal pain that usually resolve within about 24 hours.

The SFDA stressed that, despite the recall and risk assessment, there have been no reports so far of any illnesses in the Kingdom linked to the Aptamil or Bebelac infant formula batches under investigation, but the measure is being applied as a precaution.

Officials confirmed that consumers should avoid feeding infants with any of the recalled Aptamil or Bebelac products and should dispose of these items immediately, while also checking product details against the batch information shared by the authority.

The SFDA reported that it is working with Nutricia-Danone to remove all affected batches from markets in Saudi Arabia, is supervising implementation of the recall directly, and has provided detailed product names and batch numbers in an attached list for reference.

The authority reaffirmed its commitment to continuous monitoring of food products, including infant formula, to ensure full compliance with health regulations across the Kingdom, and urged citizens and residents to report any suspected food violations or safety concerns through the SFDA Unified Call Center on 19999.

With inputs from SPA