Nutricia Danone withdraws baby milk products in Saudi Arabia due to potential contamination risk.
Dubai: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has issued a warning regarding certain infant milk products by Nutricia Danone under the Bebelac and Aptamil brands, following a voluntary notification and precautionary recall of specific batches.
Potential contamination risk
The authority stated that the affected products may contain cereulide, a toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus, which could endanger infant health.
The recall is a voluntary precautionary measure implemented following an assessment of potential risks.
Symptoms to watch for
The regulator noted that exposure to the toxin may cause symptoms to appear between 30 minutes and six hours after consumption.
These symptoms may include:
- Nausea
- Repeated vomiting
- Abdominal pain
The regulator added that these symptoms are usually short-lived, generally lasting up to 24 hours.
No reported cases so far
The authority emphasized that no illnesses related to the recalled products have been reported in the Kingdom to date.
Consumers are urged not to use the affected batches and to dispose of them immediately. The regulator confirmed it is working with the manufacturer to remove the products from the market and is closely monitoring the recall’s implementation.
Details of the affected products and their batch numbers have been published in an accompanying table.
Ongoing food safety monitoring
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to continuous food safety oversight and adherence to approved regulations. It also urged the public to report any food-related violations through its unified contact centre.
