Foodwatch NGO Holds Nestlé Accountable for Baby Formula Recall

The NGO Foodwatch is calling on Nestlé to provide answers regarding the recall of baby formula in Europe due to an "unacceptable risk for newborns." Nestlé claims it has taken "all necessary steps" to support parents.

The organization, which advocates for healthy food, criticizes the Swiss multinational for its "vague communication regarding its responsibility and the extent of the issue" in this recent recall of powdered baby milk, as stated in their press release.

Last week, Nestlé voluntarily recalled a batch of products in France, specifically powdered milk for infants aged 0 to 6 months from the Guigoz Optipro Relais 1 brand, in 800-gram cans, after the detection of the microorganism Bacillus cereus on a production line.

The government website Rappel Conso, which centralizes product recalls, advised against consuming these cans of milk marked with the number 52820346AB, sold in several supermarket chains as well as pharmacies, parapharmacies, and on Amazon.

"Foodborne illnesses caused by Bacillus cereus can manifest as diarrhea often accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, and sometimes fever occurring within 8 to 16 hours after consuming the contaminated food, or as vomiting occurring within 5 hours after consumption," Rappel Conso explains.

"These symptoms can be aggravated in sensitive or immunocompromised individuals," the site adds.

Vague Communication, According to Foodwatch

In its statement, Foodwatch points out that the product has been "on the market since October 22, meaning nearly two months" and demands that Nestlé explain this discrepancy in dates.

Furthermore, the organization states it has conducted checks and found that these powdered milks manufactured at the Nunspeet factory in the Netherlands have also been recalled in eight other European countries. It criticizes Nestlé for its "very vague" communication and asks the company to clarify "what proactive measures have been taken to inform parents."

The organization also questions the level of detail provided by Nestlé regarding the European alert system RASFF, which allows EU member states to exchange detailed information about product recalls.

When contacted by AFP on Monday, Nestlé assured that information regarding the status of this recall is available on the European site, which notably mentions a product recall in Italy and Denmark and a warning in Spain and Poland.

Precautionary Measure for Nestlé

"More than 50% of the stock involved has already been retrieved," Nestlé told AFP, specifying that the recall is ongoing.

The group claims it has taken "all necessary steps to support parents." Their website even provides a hotline to address consumer inquiries.

"We chose to act quickly to ensure the safety of babies," Nestlé added, noting that it initiated a voluntary recall "as soon as a potential risk was detected on a production line."

Authorities were "immediately informed," and "no confirmed cases of illness have been reported to date," the group emphasizes, insisting that this is "strictly a precautionary measure."