EU says baby formula toxin risk now low

The risk of infants being exposed to baby formula contaminated with the cereulide toxin is now considered low following widespread product recalls, European food and disease authorities said Thursday.

Cereulide, a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting, was previously detected in ingredients supplied from China and used by several major infant formula producers, including Nestlé, Danone and Lactalis. The discovery triggered precautionary recalls across dozens of countries and raised concern among parents, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

In a joint assessment, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said extensive control measures across the European Union have significantly reduced potential exposure.

“As a result of the large-scale control measures implemented in the EU, the likelihood of exposure to contaminated products has decreased and is considered low,” EFSA said.

As of Feb. 13, seven European countries, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Spain and the United Kingdom, had reported infants experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming affected formula.

Most cases were mild, though some babies were hospitalized for dehydration.

French authorities are also investigating the deaths of three infants who had consumed formula included in the precautionary recalls. However, officials stress that no scientific causal link to the toxin has been established.

Swiss regulators said cereulide was found in two batches of recalled Danone infant formula.

Experts caution that confirming cases remains difficult because symptoms closely resemble common viral stomach infections and specialized cereulide testing is not widely available.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada