The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed it is investigating more than 60 cases of babies falling ill after being fed toxic baby formula.
Food and drink giant Nestle recalled dozens of batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula in January.
The recall, which has affected more than 60 countries, was sparked by concerns about the presence of cereulide, a heat-resistant toxin that can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
Danone has also recalled batches of Aptamil and Cow & Gate first infant milk, citing the same contamination concerns.
See the list of recalled products
The UKHSA said it is looking into cases from across the UK where children have fallen ill with symptoms “consistent with cereulide toxin poisoning”.
Investigators said 35 of the babies were male and 26 were female.
Confirmed infections due to other seasonal viruses were only noted in “some” of the children, said the UKHSA.
Since the first Nestle recall in early January, Sky News has spoken with several families who unknowingly fed their babies from affected batches.
Chloe Fernandes’s eight-month-old daughter Rebecca needed hospital treatment after being fed a now-recalled batch of prescription-only SMA formula.
“Rebecca became very ill mid-December,” Ms Fernandes, from Nottinghamshire, told Sky News.
“She had horrific diarrhoea and severe vomiting which led to her choking and needing to go to hospital.”
Her daughter was treated for dehydration and has since fully recovered.
Ms Fernandes added: “All parents need answers. It was a horrific experience.”
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The UKHSA confirmed that toxin was introduced into the formula via an ingredient, an oil, produced by a third-party supplier and shared by both Nestle and Danone.
“Testing of the recalled formula has confirmed presence of the toxin in some batches at levels that exceed limits set by the European Food Safety Authority and therefore pose a potential health risk,” said Gauri Godbole, the UKHSA’s deputy director of gastrointestinal infections.
She added: “Parents and caregivers are advised to recheck and remove all recalled formula from their homes to prevent illness in their children.”
Sky News has contacted Danone and Nestle for comment.
