RECALLS of baby formula in Spain have prompted urgent warnings to parents after several infants were hospitalised from potentially contaminated products.
Parents in Spain are being urged to check infant formula products after five babies were hospitalised with vomiting and gastrointestinal symptoms linked to milk contaminated with a bacterial toxin.
Three other infants also became ill but did not require hospital treatment. All eight babies have since been discharged and are recovering.
The cases, diagnosed back in December, are associated with infant formula that is under investigation for possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin produced by a bacteria called Bacillus cereus.
The information appears in an alert bulletin from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EDCD). The issue had not previously been publicly detailed by Spanish authorities, it is understood.
Spain’s Ministry of Health has described the cases as suspected, noting that lab confirmation is often difficult in foodborne toxin incidents because symptoms tend to develop quickly and resolve before testing can be completed.
According to the ECDC, all eight affected infants in Spain experienced vomiting shortly after consuming potentially contaminated formula.
The ECDC warns that the recalled products were widely distributed across the European Union and other countries.
This means exposure to contaminated batches is ‘moderate to high’ for infants who consumed them.
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There are not just cases in Spain, either – reports of similar scenarios have occurred in other countries across the EU.
The UK has experienced 36 cases of hospitalised infants from contaminated baby formula, while France has had 11, Belgium five, and Denmark an unspecified amount.
In a study conducted in Belgium, it was determined that the relationship between the side effects and intake of baby formula was positive.
The overall health risk for children under one year of age is considered moderate, with newborns and babies under six months most vulnerable due to the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
Spain’s Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) says most affected batches were withdrawn before reaching consumers but urges parents not to use any recalled products.
Brands affected so far include:
Parents are advised to check batch numbers on AESAN’s website and return affected products to retailers.
AESAN has sought to reassure the public, stressing that Spain’s food safety system is functioning effectively and that many affected products never reached the market.
However, further precautionary withdrawals in the coming weeks cannot be ruled out.
Health authorities stress there is no cause for alarm but advise parents to stop using recalled products immediately and seek medical advice if infants develop persistent vomiting, lethargy, or feeding difficulties.
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