Hong Kong recalls Aptamil baby milk formula batch over toxin contamination fears

Hong Kong’s food safety watchdog has recalled a batch of Aptamil powdered infant milk formula over concerns it may be contaminated with a toxin found in similar products. The Centre for Food Safety said on Tuesday evening that a local retailer sold “a small quantity” of a batch of products suspected to contain cereulide, prompting the watchdog to launch a precautionary recall. According to the centre, the affected product is Aptamil Profutura DUO Pre D 800g, with a use-by date of April 20, 2027. The watchdog said it had earlier learned that German authorities recalled certain Aptamil infant and young children’s milk formulas over concerns they might contain cereulide. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by certain strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive amounts of the bacterium or its toxins may cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. “According to the latest investigation results, a local retailer sold a small quantity of one affected batch of the powdered infant formula,” the centre said. “As a precaution, the retailer has stopped sales, removed the affected product from shelves and initiated a recall in accordance with the centre’s instructions.” It also said the product’s importer brought in nine boxes, or 54 cans, of the formula and distributed 34 of them. It added that it had instructed retailer Baby HK to stop selling the affected batch and remove it from shelves. Authorities have also marked and sealed 20 cans of the remaining stock and urged the public to call Baby HK’s hotline at 3586 1399 for inquiries. “The public should not let infants or young children consume the affected batch of the product and should seek medical attention for any child who feels unwell after taking it,” the centre said. “Businesses should also immediately stop using or selling the affected batch.” Last month, the centre issued a warning after Nestlé’s Hong Kong unit began recalling 21 batches of milk formula products, following similar moves in several European countries. The number of affected batches was later raised to 22. The company said the recall was a precautionary measure after it discovered that an ingredient from a supplier used in the affected batches could contain a heat-stable toxin produced by Bacillus cereus. The South China Morning Post has reached out to Aptamil for comment.