A 10-month-old baby experiences severe vomiting, suspected due to recalled milk formula

Baby Dolly fell ill in early January with severe vomiting after consuming SMA Alfamino formula from a recalled Nestle batch.

Amy Sutton, a 42-year-old mother from Bromborough Pool, Wirral, reported her 10-month-old daughter, Dolly, became severely ill after consuming SMA Alfamino prescription formula. Doctors at Arrowe Park Hospital diagnosed the infant with bacterial gastroenteritis. The incident, which raised concerns about the safety of the recalled formula, was reported by the BBC on 19/2.

Dolly's symptoms, including severe vomiting, began in early January. Sutton initially suspected norovirus, a virus that causes diarrhea, but grew concerned when her four other children remained healthy, despite the virus's rapid spread. Dolly's condition fluctuated, with periods of recovery followed by relapses. It was not until 6/1, when a friend informed Sutton about Nestle's global recall of certain formula lines, that she realized the potential cause. "I was shocked and still am," Sutton stated, adding that she had filed a complaint with Nestle. "I received an apology email, but someone needs to take responsibility for this; it cannot be entirely blamed on the supply chain."

Baby Dolly hospitalized after experiencing severe vomiting. Photo: Amy Sutton

The global formula recall crisis began in late 12/2025, following the detection of Cereulide toxin in raw materials at a supplier factory in China. This facility provided ingredients to major dairy industry players, including Nestle, Danone, and Lactalis. Cereulide is known to cause nausea and vomiting, and its presence prompted product recalls in numerous countries, including Vietnam in January.

Katie Pettifer, chief executive of the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), acknowledged the low risk of harm to children from this level of Cereulide toxin contamination. However, she warned that consumption could still lead to symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Pettifer advised consumers to check if their families were using affected batches of formula brands like SMA, Aptamil, and Cow & Gate, and to return any such products to stores. Gauri Godbole, deputy director of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), added that following the FSA's SMA formula recall announcement, the UKHSA issued an alert to the National Health Service (NHS). Clinicians were urged to specifically look for suspected Cereulide toxin poisoning symptoms in children who had consumed affected batches. "We have recorded 36 cases of children exhibiting typical Cereulide poisoning symptoms after consuming suspected contaminated milk batches," Godbole stated.

Nestle confirmed it proactively recalled several batches of SMA formula on 5/1, citing the discovery of substandard raw materials. A spokesperson stated, "We have ceased importing ingredients from the involved supplier and are conducting comprehensive checks on all batches from other sources to ensure no Cereulide toxin remains." Both Danone and Nestle have confirmed they stopped collaborating with the implicated ingredient supplier. Current products in circulation are guaranteed to be free of contaminated ingredients. Pettifer added, "We are working with international food safety agencies on this recall and demanding manufacturers account for their errors and commit to preventing recurrence." A spokesperson for Nestle expressed regret regarding reports of children experiencing health issues and affirmed the company's team would work closely with families who have raised concerns.