The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a recall for Danone infant formula batches manufactured in Ireland and exported globally following the discovery of a potentially harmful bacterial toxin.
The FSAI confirmed today that specific batches of Danone infant and follow-on formula contain a contaminated raw ingredient, ARA oil, sourced from China. The oil was found to contain cereulide, a toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus which is known to cause food poisoning.
While the products were manufactured at Danone’s Irish facilities, the company has informed the FSAI that none of the implicated batches were distributed within the Republic of Ireland. The affected products were instead exported to the UK, several EU member states, and various international markets.
Global Contamination Link
This recall follows a similar high-profile alert involving Nestlé products on January 6. Investigations revealed that the contaminated Chinese ARA oil was used as a base powder ingredient across multiple brands.
- Impacted Brands: Danone, Nestlé, and French dairy giant Lactalis.
- Contaminant: Cereulide (Bacillus cereus toxin).
- Source: Raw ingredient (ARA oil) manufactured in China.
- Regulatory Action: The FSAI has triggered the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) to notify the European Commission and global health authorities.
Serious Allegations in France
The recall has intensified following reports from France, where authorities are investigating the deaths of two infants who allegedly consumed Nestlé formula from the contaminated batches.
- Bordeaux: A two-week-old infant died on January 8.
- Angers: A 27-day-old infant died on December 23; the mother reported the child consumed the recalled formula.
French prosecutors and health officials have stated that there is currently no established causal link between the formula and the fatalities. Nestlé has pledged full cooperation with the probes, maintaining there is “no evidence” yet linking their products to the deaths.
Ongoing Monitoring
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, alongside the FSAI, continues to monitor Danone’s Irish manufacturing sites to ensure all safety protocols are strictly followed. Lactalis has also extended its recall to include markets as far-reaching as Australia, China, and Mexico.
Parents abroad are advised to check batch numbers against local health authority listings immediately.
