Nestlé is currently conducting a global recall (customer access only) of several infant formula products including SMA, BEBA, and NAN after the detection of cereulide toxin in arachidonic acid (ARA) oil used in production. The company stated that it has traced the quality issue to a supplier of ARA oil and has undertaken testing of all ARA oil and corresponding oil mixes used in the production of potentially impacted infant nutrition products.
“The presence of cereulide in oils is very uncommon, and Nestlé is working with the oil supplier, who is conducting a full root-cause analysis,” Nestlé said in an infant formula product advisory note, which it has been updating in the past few days, adding that, “No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products involved to date.”
Nestlé is also reported to be activating alternative suppliers and increasing internal production capacity to mitigate supply disruptions.
Chinese source Yicai Global today linked the affected ingredient to Cabio Biotech, a Wuhan-based company whose share price fell following the recall announcement. Cabio Biotech, which describes itself as a major supplier of ARA oil serving both domestic and international clients, closed 11.9% lower at CNY21.15 (US$3.02) a share in Shanghai today, after earlier dropping by as much as 14.4% earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, dsm-firmenich, another major global manufacturer of microbial ARA ingredients, denied any involvement. A dsm-firmenich spokesperson told Expana, “We are aware of this issue, however, none of our products are affected by this matter. We fully own and control the entire production chain of our microbial ARASCO® and life’s ARA® products—from fermentation through to the finished oil.”
Another leading global producer of ARA besides dsm-firmenich and Cabio Biotech, is Guangdong Runke Bioengineering in China.
ARA is a lipid that is naturally found in human breast milk. ARA, together with DHA, is commonly added as functional food ingredient to commercial infant formula worldwide, in accordance with international standard Codex Alimentarius.
The batches of infant formula products included in the recall represent significantly less than 0.5% of Nestlé’s annual group sales and the financial impact of the recall is not expected to be significant for the firm, Nestlé said in its advisory note.
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Written by Simon Duke
