Cereulide is a toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus, a common environmental bacterium found in soil, dust, and raw agricultural materials.

Cereulide acts on cells’ mitochondria and can cause rapid-onset symptoms like vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

During manufacturing, raw ingredients used in baby formula such as oils (e.g., arachidonic acid, or ARA oil) or dry powders can be contaminated with spores of B. cereus or pre-formed cereulide.

Because spores and the toxin survive processing, they must be prevented by testing ingredients before inclusion.

It is a shame for Nestle to have to import ingredients from China for such simple products anyway. It's the greed at topest level.

e.g. here is the recall in Flanders,Belgium,for 2026-01-05, so more than a month ago:

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2026/01/05/nestle-nan-babyvoedi...

Here is one English source about the deaths in France:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-nestl...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal