Hong Kong recalls Aptamil baby milk formula batch over toxin contamination fears

Hong Kong’s food safety watchdog has recalled a batch of Aptamil powdered infant milk formula over concerns it may be contaminated with a toxin found in similar products.The Centre for Food Safety said on Tuesday evening that a local retailer sold “a small quantity” of a batch of products suspected to contain cereulide, prompting the watchdog to launch a precautionary recall.According to the centre, the affected product is Aptamil Profutura DUO Pre D 800g, with a use-by date of April 20, 2027.The watchdog said it had earlier learned that German authorities recalled certain Aptamil infant and young children’s milk formulas over concerns they might contain cereulide.Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by certain strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive amounts of the bacterium or its toxins may cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea.“According to the latest investigation results, a local retailer sold a small quantity of one affected batch of the powdered infant formula,” the centre said.“As a precaution, the retailer has stopped sales, removed the affected product from shelves and initiated a recall in accordance with the centre’s instructions.”