No new health risks found in Dutch infant formula after contamination scare
Parents can breathe easier: no new cases of sick babies linked to infant formula have been reported since February 20. The NVWA confirms all tested products meet safety standards, with no measurable cereulide detected in samples.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Last report date | February 20, 2026 |
| Total reports received | 233 (194 linked to recalled products, 39 for other infant formulas) |
| Contaminated raw material | Arachidonic acid oil |
| Affected brands | Nestlé (Little Steps, Alfamino), Danone (Nutrilon) |
| Test results | No measurable cereulide in samples; health guidance value not exceeded |
| NVWA actions | Traceability research, compliance checks, ongoing monitoring |
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) oversees the safety of food and consumer products, including infant formula. It conducts inspections, enforces regulations, and issues recalls to protect public health, particularly for vulnerable groups like infants.
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Infant formula: no new reports or recalls
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has received no new reports since February 20 regarding sick babies after consuming infant formula still on the market. The samples the NVWA tested for the presence of cereulide have also not led to new recalls in the Netherlands.
The cereulide inadvertently ended up in the raw material arachidonic acid oil at one of its producers. This raw material is used in the production of powder for preparing infant formula. If cereulide enters infant formula, it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Following the safety warnings for infant formula from Nestlé and Danone, due to a possible high cereulide content, the NVWA received 233 reports. The vast majority of reports (194) concerned products from the safety warnings. There were 39 reports about other infant formulas. The last report about non-recalled infant formula dates from February 20.
Investigation: no measurable amount of cereulide
All 39 reports have now been checked. Some products turned out not to contain arachidonic acid oil as an ingredient. In various other products, arachidonic acid oil from a different producer was used. Samples were taken from other products. One sample per product type and batch was tested for the presence of cereulide. In addition to samples of products reported, samples were also tested of products where the contaminated raw material (arachidonic acid oil) may have been used. In all samples of products sold in the Netherlands, no measurable amount of cereulide was detected, and thus the health-based guidance value was not exceeded.
In addition to testing samples, the NVWA conducted traceability research into the use of the contaminated arachidonic acid oil in products on the Dutch market. This research did not reveal any new products in which the relevant raw material was used.
NVWA Supervision
The NVWA is still investigating whether producers reported possible contaminations in time and whether they acted in accordance with the rules. Any new reports about infant formula will be followed up, and if necessary, traceability data will be requested from companies. All information about cereulide is compiled on the page with the most frequently asked questions.