Feb 6 (Reuters) – Danone is withdrawing batches of infant formula across Europe, widening a recall it launched last month, with around 130 batches of Aptamil and Milumil sold in Austria and Germany now included in a recall sparked by contamination with the toxin cereulide.
Cereulide, which can cause nausea and vomiting, has been detected in ingredients from a supplier in China for several infant formula makers, including Nestle, Danone and Lactalis, triggering recalls in dozens of countries and raising concerns among parents.
The European Food Safety Authority set a threshold for cereulide levels on Monday, prompting some producers to withdraw more products from shelves and countries.
DANONE IMPLEMENTS ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT CONTROLS
Barclays analysts, who had not expected Danone and Nestle to be forced into further recalls, noted that the EFSA guidance is just guidance and regulations of individual countries supersede that guidance.
In France, Danone said in a statement it was withdrawing certain batches of its Gallia and Bledina brands as a precautionary step following stricter limits on cereulide introduced by the European Union’s food safety agency.
Danone, whose shares were trading 3.2% lower as of 1331 GMT on Friday, said it never compromises on food safety and had now implemented additional ingredient controls.
Nestle, which operates to a stricter internal limit than the EFSA guidance, widened its recall this week after the European Commission asked member states to analyse liquid formula for cereulide levels in addition to powder formulas, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
When Nestle’s recall was gathering speed in early January, Austria’s health ministry said more than 800 products from over 10 Nestle factories were affected. Nestle has not verified those figures.
Austria’s Agency for Health and Food Safety on Thursday listed dozens of recalled batches of Aptamil and Milumil, while Britain’s Food Standards Agency on Friday listed 15 Aptamil and Cow & Gate products with specific dates for recall.
French investigators are also looking into whether there is a link between the deaths of two infants and recalled infant formula under Swiss group Nestle’s Guigoz brand. Results are expected in the coming days.
(Reporting by Fabiola Arámburo in Mexico City, Gus Trompiz in Paris and Alexander Marrow in London; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri, Jan Harvey and Elaine Hardcastle)
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