Nestle issues apology to parents following global infant formula recall

Nestle on Wednesday apologized to parents and caregivers following a precautionary recall of certain infant formula products affecting multiple countries, after identifying what it said "a quality issue" linked to an ingredient used in production.

In remarks addressed directly to consumers, Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil said the company announced the recall last week "as a precaution after identifying a quality issue with an ingredient used in some of our products."

"Before I explain the situation in more detail, I first want to apologize sincerely for the worry and disruption this may have caused parents, caregivers and our customers," Navratil said.

He said a quality concern was confirmed in December at one of Nestle's factories in the Netherlands, prompting a voluntary recall in several European countries in coordination with national authorities. Further investigations later traced the issue to "a specific raw material from one of our suppliers."

Once the source was identified, Nestle halted distribution of all products containing the affected ingredient and expanded precautionary recalls in early January.

"I want to reassure you that there have been no confirmed cases of illness linked to the affected products to date," Navratil said, adding that the company considered it essential "to act quickly and transparently."

In a statement published on its website, Nestle said it detected "a quality issue with an ingredient provided by a leading supplier" and has carried out testing of all arachidonic acid (ARA) oil and corresponding oil blends used in potentially affected infant nutrition products.

The company said ARA oil is used in infant nutrition products sold globally, meaning the issue affects multiple countries, brands and products. Recall measures have been implemented on a country-by-country basis in line with local regulations.

Nestle said the recalled batches represent "significantly less than 0.5% of annual group sales" and that the financial impact is not expected to be significant.

"The safety and wellbeing of infants remain our top priority," the company said.

According to Nestle, the recall has affected products distributed in more than 50 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania and Africa.