Information about the recall has circulated rapidly, heightening anxiety among caregivers who rely on Aptamil products. Market investigations show that Aptamil infant formula is sold in various versions originating from the UK, Australia, and France. Online advertisements list the price of Aptamil First Infant Formula 800g at between VND691,000 and VND834,000 per box.
Recently, Danone, the France-based multinational food corporation, announced a voluntary recall of a specific batch of Aptamil infant formula manufactured and distributed in the UK. The recall was issued after the product was found to be contaminated with cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria that can pose serious health risks, particularly to young children. The affected product is Aptamil Infant Formula in 800g packaging with an expiration date before October 31.
Following the announcement, many families expressed alarm, especially those who had already fed the product to their children. A 33-year-old mother from Cau Giay Ward in Hanoi, whose two-year-old daughter has been consuming Aptamil for several months, said, “When I heard the milk contained toxins, I felt like I was sitting on hot coals.”
Similar concerns have been echoed across online parenting forums, where parents voiced unease over the recall. Aptamil milk has long been widely sold on e-commerce platforms and social media as imported products from the UK, France, and Australia.
In response, Vietnam’s food safety authorities have instructed importers, distributors, and e-commerce platforms to immediately halt the sale of the affected product batches. Businesses have also been asked to review their operations, remove related product information from online sales channels, and suspend trading in Aptamil milk products pending further notice.
In addition to the Aptamil milk products, earlier, on January 8, the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy issued an official document requesting businesses to implement appropriate management measures. The move followed a request from the Food Safety Department to coordinate the review of circulation and the removal of information related to products that had been warned about. The request was made in connection with the suspension of circulation and recall of Beba and Alfamino brand infant formula sold in Germany due to the potential presence of Cereulide.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the sale of products on e-commerce platforms does not imply that such products have been officially licensed for circulation in Vietnam, nor does it confirm whether they belong to batches that have been recalled overseas. As of January 26, there has been no official confirmation that the batches of Aptamil First Infant Formula 800g recalled in the United Kingdom were formally imported into Vietnam.
Under current regulations, e-commerce platforms and businesses are responsible for controlling the origin and legality of goods, as well as promptly preventing and removing products that show signs of violations or are subject to warnings from competent authorities.
