On the evening of 25/1, the Food Safety Authority sent a dispatch to the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The dispatch requested the department to coordinate with e-commerce platforms and online sales websites to prevent the trade of the Aptamil formula. E-commerce platforms must promptly remove information about the product and take action against related vendors and distributors.

Danone UK announced a recall of Aptamil First Infant Formula 800 gram on its website on 24/1. Photo: Aptamil

This directive safeguards children's health, following Danone Group's voluntary recall of Aptamil First Infant Formula (800g boxes, best before 31/10/2026) in the UK on 24/1. The manufacturer identified the product as contaminated with cereulide, a toxin produced by *Bacillus cereus* bacteria.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) reports that cereulide toxin is highly heat-resistant, remaining stable through normal cooking or formula preparation. Infants who consume contaminated food may quickly develop vomiting and stomach cramps. Darren Whitby, Head of Incident Management at the FSA, urged parents to avoid giving children the affected product and to seek immediate medical attention if any unusual symptoms appear.

Domestically, the Food Safety Authority confirmed that it has not issued a product declaration registration certificate for this Aptamil First Infant Formula batch. However, to mitigate risks from unofficial imports or hand-carried goods, the Authority has directed provincial and city Departments of Health and Food Safety Management Boards to conduct thorough market surveillance.

Should any organizations or individuals be found trading the affected product, authorities will order an immediate halt to sales and initiate a recall. These entities must report quantities imported, sold, and in stock, along with proposed handling measures. Local health authorities are also tasked with enhancing public awareness campaigns to ensure consumers can identify and avoid the warned formula.

This incident follows a previous urgent global recall by Nestle in early 1/2026, involving several formula batches, including SMA and NAN Optipro. That recall was prompted by the detection of cereulide toxin from *Bacillus cereus* bacteria. The contamination source was identified as arachidonic acid (ARA) oil, which became tainted from an external supplier before production.

Health experts emphasize the danger of cereulide toxin, particularly for infants, as it resists heat and can cause liver failure and acute poisoning. Food regulatory agencies worldwide are closely monitoring the situation, leading to recalls of numerous suspicious formula batches to protect consumers.

Le Nga