The recall of infant formula containing toxins in the US.

In recent days, news that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned about three batches of a2 Platinum Premium infant formula for children aged 0-12 months being contaminated with cereulide, posing a potential health risk to young children, has attracted significant public attention. Immediately, authorities and local governments launched a rigorous review to ensure the absolute protection of consumer health, especially that of young children.

The incident stems from the FDA's May 2nd, 2026 announcement that A2 Milk Company voluntarily recalled three batches of a2 Platinum Premium USA powdered infant formula (for infants aged 0-12 months) with added iron. The reason identified was the detection of cerelide, a dangerous heat-stable toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus . The three affected batches are: batch 2210269454 (expiry date 15/7/2026), batch 2210324609 (expiry date 21/1/2027), and batch 2210321712 (expiry date 15/1/2027), all packaged in 31.7-ounce tins.

Recognizing this as a serious food safety incident involving infants, on May 4, 2026, the Food Safety Department ( Ministry of Health ) issued an emergency action order through two official letters, Nos. 749/ATTP-SP and 750/ATTP-SP.

Accordingly, the Department has requested the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) to instruct e-commerce platforms and business websites to cooperate in removing information and ceasing the sale of these milk batches if they are circulating in Vietnam. At the same time, the national system, including the Departments of Health, Food Safety Departments, and Food Safety and Hygiene Sub-departments of provinces and centrally-administered cities, has been ordered to urgently review all self-declared dossiers, strengthen market inspections, and plan for proactive monitoring sampling.

Ninh Binh is one of the leading localities in responding to the results of the market review. According to Document No. 480/BC-ATTP dated May 16, 2026, from the Ninh Binh Provincial Food Safety Sub-Department, through data verification, this unit confirmed that it did not receive any self-declaration dossiers or issue any Certificates of Registration for the a2 Platinum Premium USA infant formula line that is under warning from the FDA.

Notably, within the area, the company Song Lanh Business and Trade Service Solutions Co., Ltd. (formerly located in Phu Ly City, Ha Nam; now located in Phu Van Ward, Ninh Binh Province) possesses 6 Certificates of Registration for Product Declarations and has self-declared 8 milk and food supplement products under the brand name "a2". Because these products share the same "a2" brand name as the batch that was warned against, the Ninh Binh Provincial Food Safety Department immediately formed a working group to meet directly with the company on May 15, 2026.

The results of document verification, accounting records, and physical inspection show that the authorities have not found this unit to have imported or sold the a2 Platinum Premium USA brand infant formula (iron-fortified powder) manufactured by A2 Milk Company, which is subject to recall.

Regarding the above incident, on May 20, 2026, Song Lanh Business Solutions and Trade Services Co., Ltd. sent official document No. 2005-2026/CV-PL to the management agency providing a detailed report on the product's lifecycle.

The company asserts that, after a thorough review of all warehousing data, import records, and the entire distribution chain, it has absolutely not imported, sold, or circulated the three batches of defective milk from the US in the Vietnamese market. In fact, the "a2" branded products distributed by this company are entirely different products, specifically manufactured for the Australian and New Zealand markets. These items are imported through official channels, with complete legal documentation, traceability records, and clear batch code control.

To reinforce the trust of mothers, upon receiving information from the Ministry of Health, the company proactively sent 8 samples of infant formula products currently on the market to the National Institute of Food Safety and Hygiene Testing (Ministry of Health). The test results showed that all samples were safe, with no detection of Bacillus cereus bacteria or cereulide toxins. The company also committed to transparency, full legal responsibility, and readiness to cooperate with authorities to protect a clean market.

Although initial reviews indicate that officially imported products in Vietnam are completely safe, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) still advises against complacency. Currently, in addition to official import channels, children's products often infiltrate the domestic market through unofficial channels or via individual online vendors.

Therefore, the Food Safety Department requests the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy and relevant agencies in localities to continue maintaining inspection and monitoring activities, and to strengthen scanning on e-commerce platforms. Public awareness campaigns should also be intensified so that consumers are fully informed and absolutely do not buy or use batches of milk bearing the aforementioned harmful codes.

Ensuring food safety, especially the nutritional needs of young children, is crucial for protecting the future of our nation. The swift and coordinated action of regulatory agencies and the transparency of businesses in this case serve as a necessary shield to reassure consumers and maintain stability and a healthy domestic milk market.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/vu-thu-hoi-sua-cong-thuc-chua-doc-to-tai-my-thi-truong-trong-nuoc-an-toan-tiep-tiep-siet-chat-giam-sat-759977.html