Sunita Somvanshi
If you’ve bought Aptamil, Cow & Gate, or SMA powdered infant formula in the past few months, check the bottom of the tin before the next feed. A recall is active across more than 60 countries after regulators identified possible cereulide contamination — a heat-stable toxin produced by strains of Bacillus cereus — in a contaminated raw ingredient supplied to both Danone and Nestlé‘s manufacturing operations.
The recall covers specific batches of Danone’s Aptamil and Cow & Gate, and Nestlé’s SMA infant and follow-on formula products. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), and food safety agencies across more than 60 countries have issued formal recall notices. The initial Aptamil recall was issued on 23 January 2026 and expanded on 6 February 2026 to include Cow & Gate and SMA products after a shared contaminated raw ingredient supplier was identified. Three infant deaths in France were reported in connection with the recall, though a confirmed causal link had not been established at the time of publication.
If your formula tin matches the recalled batch numbers printed on the base, stop feeding it immediately and retain the container for full retail refund or testing. Do not attempt to use the formula regardless of how it is prepared, as cereulide toxin survives standard boiling water temperatures and cannot be neutralised through cooking. Contact your paediatrician if your infant shows signs of nausea, vomiting, or unusual distress within six hours of a recent feed.
## How to Check Your Tin
The lot code is stamped on the base of the tin, not the lid or label. The FSA and FSAI recall notices (FSA-PRIN-05-2026) list the specific batch codes subject to withdrawal. Major supermarkets including Boots, Sainsbury’s, Woolworths, and pharmacies across affected markets are pulling affected lines from shelves and processing immediate refunds without requiring a receipt.
While media coverage has been extensive, Danone and Nestlé have confirmed the contamination traces to a single supplier of a contaminated raw ingredient, and that Aptamil, Cow & Gate, and SMA products now on sale do not use material from the affected supplier. This matters: parents of infants fed from non-recalled batches do not need to discard formula or change brands based on this event alone.
The contamination risk is from cereulide, a heat-stable toxin produced by strains of Bacillus cereus that survives cooking temperatures and is specifically linked to emetic syndrome — causing nausea and vomiting. Because cereulide cannot be destroyed through preparation, any tin matching recalled batch codes must not be used regardless of how the formula is mixed.
**What should parents do if they fed their baby recalled formula?**
Monitor your baby closely for signs of nausea, vomiting, or unusual distress, which cereulide can trigger within six hours of exposure. Stop using the formula, preserve the can with its lid intact for lot verification, and seek immediate paediatric evaluation if any symptoms appear. Most major supermarkets provide immediate refunds without requiring paper receipts.
Parents can contact the [consumer product safety rights helpline](#) or check Karmactive’s [paediatric emergency signs guide](#) for a full symptom checklist. The FSA, the FSAI, and national health services across affected markets remain active for direct queries.
**Corrections applied:** Brand corrected from “Nestlé NAN” to Aptamil/Cow & Gate (Danone) and SMA (Nestlé). Contamination agent corrected throughout from Clostridium botulinum to cereulide (Bacillus cereus toxin). Symptoms corrected from botulism neurological signs (floppiness, weak crying, constipation) to cereulide emetic symptoms (nausea, vomiting within 6 hours). The “14 days post-exposure” window removed — it applies to botulism, not cereulide. The “dairy whey emulsifier lot” cause corrected to “shared contaminated raw ingredient supplier.” Three reported infant deaths in France added. FDA reference removed (not confirmed for this recall); RASFF reference removed (not confirmed in sources). Boiling water ineffectiveness reframed accurately: cereulide is heat-stable. Cronobacter 2022 comparison removed.
—
