The government has deployed officers across Zimbabwe, including at ports of entry, to track and remove recalled Nestlé products from shelves.
Nestlé recently issued a global recall of certain baby formula products after concerns arose that they may contain a toxin capable of causing food poisoning. Health authorities moved swiftly to prevent affected batches from reaching consumers.
In a memorandum addressed to provincial medical directors and city health directors, Health and Child Care secretary Aspect Maunganidze confirmed that the recalled NAN Special Pro HA 0-12 800g had been distributed in several European countries, including France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Sweden.
The affected product relates to one batch of Specialty Infant Formula, currently manufactured in Germany, which has been distributed to several regions,” he said.
The implicated product has been identified as NAN Special Pro Batch Number: 51660748F3, Best Before: 15 December 2026, Date of Manufacture: 15 June 2025, Shelf Life: 18 months.
“Based on the alerts received, you are advised to ensure that your officers on the ground and ports of entry are on the lookout for the named products, take them off the shelves and record the quantities and descriptions of the affected products before they are returned to the manufacturer,” Maunganidze said.
Nestlé announced the product recall recently, indicating that specific infant formula batches were unsafe, adding that the affected batches “potentially contain cereulide, which can trigger nausea and vomiting when consumed.”
Despite the recall, Nestle stressed that the move was precautionary.
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“There have been no confirmed reports of illness associated with the products, but we have been recalling them out of an abundance of caution.
“The safety and well-being of babies is our absolute priority. We sincerely apologise for any concern or inconvenience caused to parents, caregivers and customers,” Nestlé said.
The food and beverage giant said unaffected products remained safe, adding that other products and batches of the same product that have not been recalled were safe to consume.
The recall highlights Zimbabwe’s proactive approach to safeguarding infant health.
By swiftly removing potentially contaminated baby formula from shelves and ports of entry, authorities aim to protect vulnerable babies while tracing and securing affected batches.
