Nestlé recalled 800+ infant-formula products across 60+ countries after a Wuhan supplier shipped ARA oil contaminated with Bacillus cereus toxin

Nestlé's Infant Formula Was Contaminated. The Supplier Was in Wuhan. The Toxin Was Real.

Nestlé sells infant formula in over 180 countries and has built its reputation on the premise that its products are safe for the most vulnerable consumers on the planet. In early 2026, the company recalled more than 800 of those products after a supplier shipped contaminated oil into the global supply chain.

The Supplier

Cabio Biotech, headquartered in Wuhan, China, supplies arachidonic acid (ARA) oil used as a nutritional additive in infant formula. After complaints of illness in multiple markets, Nestlé commissioned testing at a Dutch independent laboratory. The lab confirmed the presence of Bacillus cereus and its associated toxin, cereulide — a heat-stable poison that cannot be neutralized by cooking and causes severe gastrointestinal illness.

The Scale

The recall covered more than 800 product SKUs sold in over 60 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Nestlé disclosed a CHF 185 million financial charge in connection with the event. The company did not publish a full timeline of when it first received illness reports or when it identified Cabio Biotech as the source.

The Question

How long did contaminated infant formula move through Nestlé's distribution network before the recall was issued? The company has not answered. IBFAN, the International Baby Food Action Network, formally questioned Nestlé's credibility and called for independent regulatory oversight of the supplier qualification process.