Danone Issues Recall for Aptamil Baby Formula Batches in Germany, According to Letter
Danone has initiated a recall of at least three batches of its Aptamil baby formula in Germany, as revealed in a letter to a wholesaler on Thursday. This action comes amid growing concerns over toxin contamination that originally stemmed from Nestlé products.
In a letter dated January 26, Danone Deutschland requested that wholesaler Alliance Healthcare withdraw specific batches of Aptamil that were produced between May and August 2025. The letter, which was made public by online pharmacy Shop Apotheke, indicated that the wholesaler likely had little or no remaining stock, as it had received new product deliveries since then.
On Friday, Danone confirmed that it was recalling certain baby formula batches in targeted markets. However, the company did not disclose which brands or countries were affected, nor did it specify the volume of goods involved. Danone has reassured consumers that it believes its products are safe and comply with all relevant safety regulations.
Read more: France Reports Second Baby Death Amid Tainted Formula Crisis
As of Thursday, Danone had not provided a comment in response to inquiries regarding the situation. Initial concerns about the products emerged in December, but the situation escalated in early January when Nestlé announced a recall of certain batches of its infant nutrition products, including SMA, BEBA, and NAN formulas, due to potential contamination with cereulide, a toxin that can induce nausea and vomiting.
The recalls have impacted numerous countries and have since expanded to include other French producers, such as Lactalis and Vitagermine, with potential combined losses exceeding $1 billion. Danone’s shares have experienced a nearly 13% decline over the past two weeks.
French investigators are currently looking into a possible connection between the deaths of two infants and the recalled formula products. On Thursday, Germany’s Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety announced that certain batches of Danone products were being withdrawn. An official recall can only be issued once it is confirmed that the products have reached consumers.
The situation underscores how a single compromised ingredient can ripple through the highly regulated infant nutrition sector, prompting swift regulatory action and causing significant market anxiety. Cereulide, the toxin in question, is produced by the Bacillus cereus bacteria and was detected in an ingredient sourced from a supplier. France’s agriculture ministry has indicated that the problematic product originated in China, while Ireland’s Food Safety Authority has confirmed that cereulide was found in arachidonic acid oil manufactured in China.
(Reporting by Friederike Heine in Berlin and Alexander Marrow in London; editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
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Danone has initiated a recall of at least three batches of its Aptamil baby formula in Germany, as revealed in a letter to a wholesaler on Thursday. This action comes amid growing concerns over toxin contamination that originally stemmed from Nestlé products.
In a letter dated January 26, Danone Deutschland requested that wholesaler Alliance Healthcare withdraw specific batches of Aptamil that were produced between May and August 2025. The letter, which was made public by online pharmacy Shop Apotheke, indicated that the wholesaler likely had little or no remaining stock, as it had received new product deliveries since then.
On Friday, Danone confirmed that it was recalling certain baby formula batches in targeted markets. However, the company did not disclose which brands or countries were affected, nor did it specify the volume of goods involved. Danone has reassured consumers that it believes its products are safe and comply with all relevant safety regulations.
Read more: France Reports Second Baby Death Amid Tainted Formula Crisis
As of Thursday, Danone had not provided a comment in response to inquiries regarding the situation. Initial concerns about the products emerged in December, but the situation escalated in early January when Nestlé announced a recall of certain batches of its infant nutrition products, including SMA, BEBA, and NAN formulas, due to potential contamination with cereulide, a toxin that can induce nausea and vomiting.
The recalls have impacted numerous countries and have since expanded to include other French producers, such as Lactalis and Vitagermine, with potential combined losses exceeding $1 billion. Danone’s shares have experienced a nearly 13% decline over the past two weeks.
French investigators are currently looking into a possible connection between the deaths of two infants and the recalled formula products. On Thursday, Germany’s Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety announced that certain batches of Danone products were being withdrawn. An official recall can only be issued once it is confirmed that the products have reached consumers.
The situation underscores how a single compromised ingredient can ripple through the highly regulated infant nutrition sector, prompting swift regulatory action and causing significant market anxiety. Cereulide, the toxin in question, is produced by the Bacillus cereus bacteria and was detected in an ingredient sourced from a supplier. France’s agriculture ministry has indicated that the problematic product originated in China, while Ireland’s Food Safety Authority has confirmed that cereulide was found in arachidonic acid oil manufactured in China.
(Reporting by Friederike Heine in Berlin and Alexander Marrow in London; editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
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