The Department of Food Safety (Ministry of Health) recently sent an urgent dispatch to the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy (Ministry of Industry and Trade) following international warnings. Food safety agencies in Hong Kong (CFS) and Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) confirmed these products contain cereulide toxin, posing a direct risk to infant health.
The recall list includes Babybio Optima 1 formula from manufacturer Vitagermine and Alula Colic & Constipation formula from Sanulac Nutritionals Australia Pty Ltd. Through post-inspection reviews, the Department of Food Safety discovered these items were widely sold on major online platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and Ausmart.
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List of 5 milk products from 5 companies being recalled. Photo: *Department of Food Safety* |
To prevent risks to consumers, the Ministry of Health requested e-commerce platforms to immediately coordinate with store owners and distributors to cease sales of all affected product batches. These entities must remove all advertising and sales information for these substandard milk products and address violations according to regulations.
On the same day, local health departments received directives to review the quality declaration process for the two product lines. Authorities will work directly with importing businesses (if any) to request that buyers be notified to cease use. They will also inventory imported, sold, and in-stock quantities to plan for destruction.
The Department of Food Safety also advised people to absolutely avoid using any product batches on the warning list.
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One of Vitagermine's recalled milk products posted on the French government's consumer warning website. Photo: *Rappel Conso* |
Cereulide is a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria, capable of causing food poisoning with severe nausea and vomiting symptoms in infants. On 25/1, Vitagermine group issued an urgent recall notice for three batches of Babybio Optima 1 powdered milk due to suspected cereulide contamination. This risk prevention decision applies to 400 gram and 800 gram product batches with an expiration date in 2027.
The company's action stemmed from the latest recommendations by the French government and internal investigation results concerning the risk of this severe vomiting-inducing toxin. Before Vitagermine, major dairy companies like Lactalis, Nestle, and Danone were also compelled to withdraw millions of products from supermarket shelves for similar reasons. The recall wave occurred in over 70 countries, amid French authorities launching a criminal investigation into the deaths of two infants suspected of being linked to contaminated milk consumption.
Le Nga
