Austria affected

Dangerous bacteria discovered in baby food

Special caution currently applies to baby food (symbolic image).(Bild: Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Africa Studio)

Parents beware: The Nestlé food group has recalled several batches of BEBA infant formula worldwide. In Austria, too, small quantities of the toxin cereulide were detected in two product batches as part of a safety check by AGES. The "Krone" knows the details.

In December 2025, a safety inspection revealed a technical defect at a Nestlé supplier plant, which resulted in the contamination of an ingredient with the bacterium Bacillus cereus. This bacterium can produce the heat-stable toxin cereulide, which can cause nausea and vomiting if consumed.

Very rarely and in high concentrations, it can lead to more severe courses of illness (incidence <1:100,000). Important: "The toxin does not multiply further in the product and the bacterium itself is killed during the manufacturing process", according to the local authorities.

Special caution currently applies to baby food (symbolic image).(Bild: Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Africa Studio)

33 batches affected in Austria
In Austria, as many as 33 product batches tested positive for cereulide in the course of official sampling. These were immediately withdrawn from circulation. The detected concentrations of the toxin were so low that a health risk can be ruled out. To be on the safe side, AGES also randomly tested products from other manufacturers - all samples were inconspicuous.

What should consumers in Austria do?

The affected products:

• BEBA expert HA PRE (best before date: 12/2026)
• BEBA supreme PRE (best before date: 05/2027, EAN: 7 61287 226631)
  - were already removed from the shelves by REWE (BILLA, BIPA, Sutterlüty and others) on December 24, 2025.
• Anyone who has such a product at home should no longer use it, but return it. The return is also possible without a receipt and the purchase price will be refunded in full.
• In the event of health complaints such as vomiting or diarrhea, it is recommended to seek medical advice.

The Nestlé consumer service team is available to answer questions about products and returns:
Phone: [phone] (weekdays from 9:00-17:00)
E-mail: [e-mail]

Silent recall over the holidays
"Nestlé has already carried out a silent recall over the Christmas holidays in coordination with international and Austrian authorities and removed the affected products from the shelves," the domestic authorities continue.

A public recall will now follow on January 5, 2026 - as the second step in a standard, staged procedure. In total, the recall affects over 800 products from more than ten Nestlé factories - it is the largest recall in the company's history.