Singapore orders halt to sale of selected Nestle NAN infant formula over potential toxin risk

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Thursday (Jan 8) ordered a halt to the sale of five batches of Nestle NAN infant formula and follow-on formula as a precautionary measure due to the potential presence of cereulide, a toxin that can ⁠cause ‍nausea and vomiting.

This comes amid Nestle's worldwide recall, which has expanded beyond Europe to include Africa, the Americas and Asia. 

In a joint media release, SFA and the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said there have been no confirmed cases of illness related to the consumption of the affected Nestle infant formula in Singapore so far.

The measure to halt the sale of several products will remain in place while investigations are carried out, they added.

The five affected made-in-Switzerland batches are:

• NAN HA 1 SupremePro (800g), batch 51460017C2
• NAN HA 1 SupremePro (800g), batch 51470017C1
• NAN HA 2 SupremePro (800g), batch 51420017C4
• NAN HA 3 SupremePro (800g), batch 53030017C1
• NAN HA 3 SupremePro (32g sachets), batch 53030017B1

Cereulide is a toxin that can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. Symptoms typically appear between 30 minutes and six hours after consuming the affected food, and usually go away within 24 hours.

However, vulnerable groups such as infants are at higher risk for complications, said SFA and CDA.

The agencies noted that there are currently no international standards on the acceptable level for cereulide toxin in infant formula and other food items.

"The Communicable Diseases Agency is working closely with SFA and is conducting surveillance with hospitals to monitor for potential cases of cereulide poisoning in children," they added.

"Consumers who have purchased the affected products are advised not to feed them to their children. Those whose children have consumed these products and are unwell should seek medical advice promptly."

Consumers can also contact their point of purchase for product enquiries.

On Friday, retailers including FairPrice Group, Sheng Siong, Lazada, Guardian, Giant and Cold Storage told CNA they had removed the affected products from their shelves or platforms. 

Customers who purchased the products from FairPrice Group, Sheng Siong, Guardian, Giant or Cold Storage can return them to any store with their receipt for a full refund.

Lazada, which runs RedMart, said affected customers should contact Nestle Singapore's customer hotline at 800 6011 633 for enquiries or refund requests.

A Guardian Singapore spokesperson said that customers with queries can contact its customer service team at 6891 8600 or guardian.sg [at] dfiretailgroup.com. 

WHAT NESTLE SINGAPORE SAYS

In a statement on Friday, Nestle Singapore said the affected NAN HA 1 SupremePro and NAN HA 2 SupremePro products had been removed as a precaution since end-December 2025 and are no longer available for sale.

It added that the affected NAN HA 3 SupremePro products have not been distributed and therefore are not available in stores.

"All five batches have undergone thorough testing. Information and test results are being shared with SFA, and we remain committed to ongoing transparency and collaboration with SFA," said the company, adding that it encourages customers to follow SFA's guidance.

A Nestle Singapore spokeperson had earlier told CNA on Thursday - before SFA and CDA announced the halt on sales - that no stocks were being recalled in Singapore. 

The spokesperson said the company had conducted checks on its stocks and identified two batches that required additional review, but subsequent laboratory testing confirmed that both were safe for consumption.

Nestle initially recalled the affected infant formula in Europe, but the recall has since been widened to include markets in Africa, the Americas and Asia. 

At least 37 countries, including most European states, as well as Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and South Africa, have issued health warnings over the Nestle infant formulas possibly being contaminated. 

No illnesses have been confirmed in relation to the affected batches so far. 

Nestle had said on Tuesday that it had tested all arachidonic acid oil and corresponding oil mixes used in the production of its potentially affected infant nutrition products after a quality issue was detected in an ingredient from a leading supplier. 

It is now ramping up production and activating alternative suppliers of the acid oil to maintain supply.