Baby drinking milk in a bottle- courtesy image

The South Sudan National Bureau of Standards has ordered the immediate halt of distribution of a batch of Nestlé baby formula following a global recall over safety concerns.

In a public notice issued this morning, the bureau directed sellers and retailers to stop distributing the affected product and to work with local authorities to take appropriate action with immediate effect.

According to the bureau, the recalled product is the Nestle Nan special PRO HA 0-12 infant formula, Batch number 51660742F3.

The bureau said the action follows contamination of the formula with cereulide, a toxin that poses a potential risk to infants. The toxin can cause foodborne illness, including vomiting and emesis, within up to six hours after feeding.

The bureau further stated that the product does not meet regional and international standards and is therefore not compliant with the requirements of the Bureau of Standards in the Republic of South Sudan.

It added that the same product has already been recalled in several other countries.

The bureau also urged parents to seek medical advice from health professionals if they have fed the formula to an infant.

The notice comes after some parents raised concerns over unusual symptoms, including severe skin rashes, after feeding babies with Nestlé’s S26 milk formula.

The development comes amid a wave of international recalls affecting several Nestlé products, including S26, NAN and SMA, due to the possible presence of toxins harmful to infants.