Nestlé has said it detected “very low levels” of the toxin cereulide in formula samples at the end of November – ten days before informing local authorities.
The Swiss giant, which throughout December and January recalled infant formula from more than 60 markets, confirmed it found the toxin in samples at its Dutch factory “at the end of November”.
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The toxin has been linked to contaminated arachidonic acid oil sourced from China and supplied to a number of infant-formula manufacturers.
Companies including Lactalis and Danone have also conducted product recalls.
European consumer advocacy group Foodwatch has filed a legal complaint in Paris alongside eight families.
Prosecutors in France have launched investigations into the deaths of two children said to have consumed formula recalled by Nestlé.
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By GlobalDataIn a statement dated yesterday (29 January), Nestlé said at the end of November it had sent the contaminated samples for “further, in-depth laboratory analysis”.
The results, which “confirmed the presence of trace amounts of cereulide”, were received by Nestlé “at the beginning of December” and the company “decided to recall all products manufactured since the new equipment installation in our factory in the Netherlands”.
Nestlé said it informed the Dutch authorities and “all potentially impacted countries”, as well as the European Commission, on 10 December to share its analysis.
On the same day, the company said it started a “a voluntary and precautionary public recall” of all 25 batches that had been produced across16 countries in Europe.
By Christmas Eve, the group said it had confirmation the contamination came from “an oil blend used to produce infant formula in several of our factories”.
Nestlé said it stopped using the blend immediately and told its supplier – which the company has not publicly named – on 29 December once it had laboratory confirmation the oil was contaminated. Trade associations were informed a day later.
The wider voluntary recall started on 5 January.
Privately owned Lactalis has issued a recall for certain batches of its Picot infant formula encompassing 18 countries.
A week ago, Danone issued a European recall of infant-formula made at a site in Ireland after initially withdrawing product in Singapore at the request of the local food-safety regulator.
Meanwhile, at the request of the EU, Europe’s food-safety regulator plans to set safety thresholds for cereulide toxin.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said on Wednesday it would look to establish an “acute reference dose for cereulide in infants”, as instructed by the European Commission.
At the same time, EFSA has been asked to provide data on “typical and higher-end consumption levels” of infant formula as it coordinates a response to the recalls with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Commission.
EFSA said it would aim to publish its response to those two requests on Tuesday next week.
