The Federal Food Safety Agency (FAVV) has confirmed that a second baby in Flanders has been found with traces of cereulide in their stool. They became infected after drinking contaminated milk produced by the multinational food company Nestlé. The Flemish Health and Care Department is advising parents to check any milk and milk powder product they have bought for their babies.
Cereulide is a toxin that causes vomiting and nausea. Previously, 1 case of a baby having become infected had been reported. However, the Flemish Health and Care Department said that there were probably more cases.
Laboratory tests have now confirmed a second case of a baby in Flanders with traces of cereulide in their stool. As in the previous case, the baby is just a couple of months old. The baby suffered from diarrhoea for several days in mid-January and has since recovered. Shortly before the onset of symptoms, the baby had drunk a Nestlé milk product from a batch that had been recalled.
No cereulide was found in the stools of five other children with intestinal complaints that were examined.
Parents are advised to check any Nestlé milk products they might have at home to make sure that they are not part of the batches that have been recalled. The can check this on the FAVV website (Dutch or French) or Nestlé’s website (Dutch or French) Danone and Vitagermine/Babybio also recalled some of its products.
The most common symptoms of a possible cereulide infection are vomiting and watery diarrhoea. This usually occurs between 30 minutes and 6 to 8 hours after drinking the milk.