Hundreds of thousands of unsafe infant formula packs reached Czech market

Around 650,000 packs of infant formula later deemed unsafe were distributed in the Czech Republic before authorities identified the contamination, according to Seznam Zprávy.

European authorities traced the contamination back to October 2024 and linked it to a specialised ingredient imported from China. Only about 132,000 packs were recalled, while it remains unclear how many of the remaining products were consumed, discarded, or are still in households.

Czech authorities have recorded 25 suspected cases of illness and one confirmed case. Following the incident, the European Commission tightened inspections of ARA oil imported from China, requiring laboratory testing from February onward. The toxin involved, cereulide, can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.