Nairobi — The COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a public warning over the recall of several infant milk brands linked to possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin associated with foodborne illness.

The recall affects multiple batches of Nutricia Aptamil Nutribiotik 2 and Nutricia Aptajunior Nutribiotik 3 distributed by Nutricia Southern Africa, as well as a broader range of Aptamil and Nursie products linked to Danone.

The alert follows findings by South Africa's National Consumer Commission that a raw material used in the products may contain traces of cereulide, which can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.

Although initial distribution was limited to South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, the Commission warned the products could have entered other COMESA markets through cross-border trade.

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The risk has been heightened by a separate recall flagged by Morocco's National Office for Food Safety, which identified additional affected batches. Authorities there have already seized the products pending destruction.

Consumer concerns have also emerged in Mauritius, where the Association des Consommateurs de l'Île Maurice reported complaints of adverse effects linked to the products.

The Commission noted that the affected milk products are distributed through multiple retailers, including Carrefour, complicating efforts to track their movement across borders.

Consumers and retailers have been urged to avoid purchasing or using the affected batches and to report any sightings to national authorities as regulators work to contain the risk.