Europe to Decide How Much Toxin in Baby Formula Is Too Much

Europe’s food safety regulator will publish advice on what is an acceptable level of the toxin currently at the heart of one of the biggest infant formula recalls in history.

The European Food Safety Authority will establish an “acute reference dose” for cereulide in infant formula, effectively setting a threshold level which if exceeded would trigger a recall, the group announced on Wednesday, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. It will also provide information on typical and higher-end consumption levels of infant formula.

The move comes after the world’s largest infant formula producer, Nestlé SA recalled hundreds of products potentially contaminated with cereulide, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea, in more than 60 countries. French authorities are currently investigating whether two infant deaths are linked to consumption of Nestlé’s Guigoz formula.

Read more: Dairy Giants Rush to Recall Infant Formula After Expanding Contamination Scare

Rivals Danone SA and Groupe Lactalis and other smaller producers have also since recalled some products. Nestlé traced the contamination to arachidonic acid oil obtained from a single supplier, whom it declined to name publicly. The supplier has since been identified as China’s Cabio Biotech Wuhan Co.

The timing of the recall is difficult for Nestlé’s Chief Executive Officer Philipp Navratil, who is slashing costs and trying to boost the company’s performance.

“His mantra should now include quality through the supply chain after the recent infant milk formula recall that may harm Nestlé’s reputation more than its profitability,” Bloomberg Intelligence’s Duncan Fox wrote.

Although the infant formula industry is highly regulated it still struggles to balance infant nutrition and safety, especially as companies lengthen the supply chain by adding ingredients to make their formulas more closely resemble breast milk.

In 2020, the European Commission required fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid, known as DHA, be added to breast milk. Some pediatricians followed by recommending ARA oil also be added in equal or higher quantities, leading to a large increase in the use of the ingredient in formulas.

EU legislation establishes maximum levels for certain chemical contaminants in food, according to Beat Späth, the secretary-general of trade group Specialised Nutrition Europe. He said it was right for the bloc’s food authority to try to figure out scientifically what is a harmonized threshold level for cereulide in formula.

“This may or may not lead to additional recalls, but it should provide more clarity and regulatory certainty with an appropriate science-based threshold,” he added.

The food authority will publish its opinion on cereulide next week but in order to become policy it would need to be adopted by the Commission and EU countries. Nestlé has long been calling for nations to harmonize their policies and testing procedures.

Photograph: A bottle of milk prepared from infant formula. Photo credit: Giulia Marchi/Bloomberg

Related:

• Danone Recalls Specific Baby Formula Batches Made in Ireland as Toxin Scare Widens
• France Reports Second Baby Death Amid Tainted Formula Crisis
• China Urges Nestlé to Work Quickly on Baby Formula Recall
• Nestle Infant Formula Recall Widens to Africa, the Americas and Asia
• Nestle Recalls Infant Formula Batches in 25 Countries Over Toxin Risk