Formula milk: Experts demand tighter safety checks after contamination scare

A spate of recalls of infant formula over fears that batches may have been contaminated with the toxin cereulide has led experts to call for tighter safety checks in the industry.Over the weekend the UK Food Standards Agency reported that Danone had recalled its Aptamil First Infant Formula after cereulide had been found in the product.12 Last week the French dairy company Lactalis recalled batches of its products because of concerns they were tainted with the toxin.Cereulide is produced by certain strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus and can lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.Lactalis, Nestlé, Danone, and Hochdorf have now all recalled batches of infant formula in recent weeks, with regulators issuing warnings to the public in dozens of countries.3French authorities are now reportedly investigating whether the death of two infants is linked to the recalled Guigoz brand of formula milk, made by Nestlé.4The contamination of the various products…