Israel Widens a Baby Formula Recall Over a Heat-Proof Toxin

Teva Israel Ltd has expanded its recall of Nutrilon infant formula, calling in 900g and 400g packs of Nutrilon AR (the version intended for infants who spit up frequently, a condition known as reflux) from batch number 2026.12.01, following a notification from the manufacturer in Europe. The move, announced on 30 January 2026, followed an earlier Israeli recall announcement on 24 January.

According to the notice, the action follows a wave of recalls by several infant formula makers that removed products from shelves in dozens of countries because of the presence of the toxin cereulide, produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus, in fatty acids used as a formula ingredient. Israel's Ministry of Health instructed Teva to have the formula manufacturer, Nutricia, carry out additional laboratory tests on products sold in Israel that were suspected of containing the toxin. Those tests found one batch of Nutrilon AR with a cereulide level above threshold values recently set by the competent authority in Ireland, which the notice said also formed the basis of the Israeli risk assessment. Teva, which markets the brand in Israel, then withdrew the batch in coordination with the ministry.

The notice said that in exceptional cases cereulide may cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhoea and weakness, particularly in infants, and advised anyone suspecting harm to consult a doctor. It gave a consumer service line, 1-800-300-123, and said a questions-and-answers document had been updated on 30 January.

What cereulide is and why boiling does not help

Cereulide is a toxin made by certain strains of Bacillus cereus. Unlike the bacterium itself, the toxin is chemically stable and survives heat: The Jerusalem Post reported that it is not destroyed by heating, reheating or acidic conditions, which is why normal preparation of a bottle cannot make an affected batch safe. The World Health Organization, in a disease outbreak notice dated 13 March 2026, described symptoms beginning between half an hour and six hours after ingestion, warned that vomiting and rapid dehydration can be serious in very young infants, and noted that there is no specific antidote; treatment is supportive.

A global contamination traced to one ingredient

The Israeli recall is one edge of a much larger event. The WHO notice identified arachidonic acid oil, known as ARA and used as an ingredient in infant formula and other nutritional products, as the source of contamination, and reported that affected products had been distributed to 99 countries and territories across six WHO regions, with the first recalls beginning on 10 December 2025. Between 1 January and 25 February 2026 the WHO recorded 144 suspected and confirmed cases across ten countries, with Belgium the only country reporting laboratory-confirmed intoxications, of which there were eight.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in an assessment published on 19 February 2026 with the European Food Safety Authority, judged the remaining likelihood of exposure to contaminated formula to be low because of the recalls, and the health impact low to moderate depending on the child's age. It reported that most affected infants had mild symptoms and recovered, though some were admitted to hospital with dehydration, and that infants under six months are the most vulnerable.

The Times of Israel reported on 30 January 2026 that Teva distributes Nutricia products in Israel and that the company was ordered to conduct further testing after Ireland's new guidance prompted the initial detection. The Jerusalem Post reported that no illness had been reported in Israel and that testing had found no contamination in other Israeli companies' products.

What is still unclear

The Israeli notice did not say how many packs were affected, how much of the batch had already been sold, or what cereulide level was measured against the Irish threshold. It did not give the Irish threshold value itself, or say whether further batches were still being tested. Parents holding an affected pack were told to contact the consumer line rather than given a refund or exchange procedure in the notice.