Morocco’s food safety authority has ordered the withdrawal of several batches of baby milk sold in the country after an international health alert about a possible toxin.
The warning was issued by the Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA), which said some batches of infant formula may contain a toxin called cereulide. The toxin can be produced by a bacterium known as Bacillus cereus.
The products affected are sold under the brands Nursie and Aptamil and come in 400g and 900g tins.
ONSSA said the recall only concerns certain batches with eight-digit lot numbers starting with 2026 or 2027. Most of the products have expiry dates between July 2026 and May 2027.
The agency said it has informed the importing company and ordered the immediate removal of the affected products from the market. Some quantities have already been stopped in warehouses, while the rest are being removed from shops under the supervision of inspectors.
Parents have been asked not to use any formula from the affected batches and to check the numbers printed on the bottom of the tins before preparing milk.
Possible health effects
The concern is linked to cereulide, a toxin that can cause food poisoning.
Health officials say the toxin can remain active even if the milk is prepared with hot water.
Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. These can appear between 30 minutes and six hours after drinking the milk. In babies, these symptoms can quickly lead to dehydration.
International alert
ONSSA said it received the warning through international health monitoring systems used by organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the European Food Safety Authority.
