Food Safety Alert: Infant Milk May Contain Toxin

Consumers are being urged not to consume a food product due to the possible presence of a toxin that could cause food poisoning, according to the Malta Food Safety Authority.

The warning follows additional information received through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, which indicated the possible presence of cereulide in the product. Cereulide is a toxin produced by certain strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus.

Authorities said the toxin is highly heat stable, meaning it is unlikely to be destroyed by normal cooking methods such as boiling water or preparing the product as instructed.

If consumed, cereulide can cause rapid onset food poisoning. Possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.

Consumers who have purchased the affected product are advised not to consume it. Instead, they should either dispose of it or return it to the shop from where it was bought.

The authority said the update follows previous notices issued earlier in February and forms part of its efforts to keep the public informed about food safety risks. The information was released in line with the Food Safety and Security Act.

Anyone seeking further information can contact the Malta Food Safety Authority on +356 26025000 between 8:00am and 3:00pm from Monday to Friday, or send an email to info.fssa@gov.mt.

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