The company clarified that the global infant formula recall does not impact India, as all products sold domestically are locally manufactured and meet FSSAI standards
Nestle India has clarified that the infant formula products recalled by its global parent do not affect the Indian market, stressing that it neither imports nor sells the impacted batches and that all infant nutrition products sold domestically are manufactured locally.
“Nestle India does not import or sell any of the affected products or batches that have been withdrawn or recalled. All infant formula brands sold in India are manufactured locally. We have conducted thorough testing on these products and can confirm that they meet all FSSAI and applicable rules and regulations,” Nestle India said in a statement.
Reaffirming its commitment to consumer safety, the company added, “The safety and well-being of our consumers is our top priority. All our products are in full compliance with FSSAI and applicable rules and regulations. Following the detection of a quality issue with an ingredient provided by a leading supplier, Nestlé has initiated a precautionary recall or withdrawal in some countries for certain infant formula product batches produced in Europe. No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products involved to date.”
The clarification comes after Swiss food major Nestlé announced a precautionary recall of certain batches of infant formula sold across several European countries, including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Sweden. The company said the voluntary move was part of its stringent quality and safety procedures after identifying a potential quality issue linked to an ingredient used in production.
Nestlé said the recall followed the detection of a “quality issue” associated with an ingredient supplied by one of its major vendors and emphasised that the action was aligned with its internal safety protocols. The recall largely affects Europe and includes popular infant nutrition brands such as SMA, BEBA and NAN, with the potential contamination posing a risk of nausea and vomiting.
According to the company, the issue was traced to arachidonic acid oil, a key ingredient sourced from a prominent supplier. After identifying the problem, Nestlé carried out extensive testing of the oil and related oil mixtures used in the potentially impacted products. Based on the results, it decided to withdraw the affected batches as a preventive measure.
The recall also extends to products sold in Turkey and Argentina due to possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin produced by certain strains of Bacillus cereus. Cereulide is resistant to destruction by cooking or boiling water and can cause rapid-onset food poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and stomach cramps. The Austrian health ministry has said the recall could impact more than 800 products from over 10 Nestlé factories, potentially making it the largest recall in the company’s history, though a Nestlé spokesperson has not confirmed these figures.
Nestlé has published batch numbers of the products that should not be consumed and is taking steps to minimise supply disruptions. The company is engaging alternative suppliers for arachidonic acid oil, ramping up production at several facilities and accelerating the distribution of unaffected products. Dutch food safety authority NVWA has confirmed that Nestlé’s investigation found the contaminated raw material had been used at multiple production sites, including locations outside the Netherlands.
The episode has also increased scrutiny on Nestle leadership, with new Chief Executive Philipp Navratil facing added pressure amid ongoing managerial changes and a planned portfolio review to drive growth. Nestle’s contribute Rs 92.2 billion global infant nutrition market.
While Nestle does not disclose detailed sales data for individual categories, its infant formula business falls under the Nutrition and Health Science division, which accounted for 16.6 per cent of the group’s total sales of 91.4 billion Swiss francs (Rs 115.4 billion) in 2024.
