The Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau (ISAF) and the Macau Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) issued a joint health alert on Saturday warning that one more Nestlé NAN infant formula product was found to contain the potentially poisonous Bacillus cereus.
Bacillus cereus is a species of bacteria known for its ability to cause foodborne illnesses, such as diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.
The statement said that Nestlé Hong Kong Ltd issued an alert on Saturday that one more batch of the Swiss company’s various infant formula products may have been contaminated with the bacillus.
Upon verification, both local bureaus said that none of the affected batches of infant formula have been imported into Macau.
The statement said that the source country of the problematic product is Germany, named NAN PRO 1 2HMO 800g, with batch number 51670742F2 and an expiration date of June 16, 2027.
Both local bureaus said a joint health alert on Wednesday that certain Nestlé-Wyeth Nutrition infant formula products are suspected to contain Bacillus cereus.
Both bureaus said they are highly concerned about the case and have taken immediate action, Wednesday’s statement said. The joint alert came after Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety, which is a part of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), had urged the public last Tuesday not to consume certain batches of powered infant and young children formula produced by Nestlé.
According to last Tuesday’s FEHD statement, Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide* is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upsets such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
* Cereulide is a highly potent, heat-stable, and acid-resistant toxin produced by certain strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus. It is the primary cause of the emetic (vomiting) type of food poisoning associated with Bacillus cereus. – DeepSeek
A man talks to sales staff at a Western pharmacy on Rua dos Mercadores in the city centre last night. – Photo: Armindo Neves
