The Public Health Office (ÚVZ) of the Slovak Republic received, through the rapid warning system for food and feed RASFF, Germany’s re-addition to the notification on the substance cereulide in initial infant formula from Germany with raw material from Ireland. TASR was informed about this by the ÚVZ communication department.
- ÚVZ SR informed about risky infant formula contaminated with cereulide from Germany.
- Several batches of Aptamil and Milumil products made from raw materials from Ireland are affected.
- German retailer Müller also distributed some products to the Slovak market.
- Cereulide causes health problems mainly in newborns and the smallest infants.
- Regional authorities verify the download of products, ÚVZ does not recommend their further use.
According to the RASFF notification, both initial infant formula and subsequent infant formula are included. Specifically, it concerns several batches of the products Aptamil Pronutra Pre, Aptamil Pronutra 1, Aptamil Pronutra 2, Aptamil Pronutra 3, Aptamil Profutura DuoAdvance Pre, Aptamil Profutura DuoAdvance 1, Aptamil Profutura DuoAdvance 2, Milumil Pre and Milumil 1 with minimum durability dates from June 2026 to November 2027.
According to the ÚVZ, the German seller Drogerie Müller supplied some of the mentioned products to Slovakia. “The company Danone, Mlynské nivy 5, 821 09 Bratislava, in its statement dated 2/23/2026 for the relevant regional public health office stated that does not distribute Aptamil and Milumil brand products in Slovakia“, stated the communication department of the ÚVZ.
All of the above products were manufactured using the base powder from Ireland contaminated with cereulide listed in RASFF Notice 2026.0598, on the basis of which the company On January 24, Danone Deutschland GmbH began to recall these products from the market as a precaution.
Contamination of food with cereulide (a toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus) can mainly cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and malaise, but more serious health effects cannot be ruled out. “According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), symptoms can appear 30 minutes to six hours after consuming contaminated food. According to the ECDC, in younger infants, cereulide can alter the body’s salt balance and lead to complications such as dehydration,” they said from ÚVZ. Possible negative effects on health depend on the age of the infant, while newborns and infants younger than six months are at higher risk of more severe effects.
The relevant regional public health authorities verify the withdrawal of products from the SR market. Customers have the option to return the food to the retailer where they purchased it. The Public Health Office does not recommend further use of these products with the stated minimum durability dates for the preparation of food for infants.
