Speaking to Sai Gon Giai Phong on the afternoon of January 26, Mr. Hoang Ninh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade), said that following an official notice from the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) under the Ministry of Health, his agency had instructed importers, distributors, and e-commerce platform operators to conduct an immediate review of their business activities.
Accordingly, relevant entities are required to promptly remove information related to the warned products from online sales platforms and suspend the sale of affected Aptamil infant formula batches if they are found on the Vietnamese market.
Earlier, on January 8, the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency had issued a similar directive after receiving a request for coordination from VFA. That notice concerned the suspension, recall, and removal of information related to infant powdered milk products branded Beba and Alfamino sold in Germany, following the detection of a potential risk of cereulide contamination. Cereulide is a toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus and poses health risks, particularly to infants.
Under that directive, businesses were required to inspect, review, and immediately remove Beba and Alfamino infant formula products from websites and e-commerce applications, if any were being offered for sale. Enterprises were also instructed to report their handling measures to the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency.
The authority further advised consumers not to purchase or use Beba and Alfamino infant formula products pending official verification results from Nestle Group and relevant regulatory agencies in Vietnam.
Market surveys indicate that, alongside official distribution channels, a number of imported infant formula products—including brands such as Beba, Alfamino, and Aptamil—continue to be advertised online, primarily in the form of so-called “hand-carried” goods. However, the presence of these products on e-commerce platforms does not necessarily mean they have been officially licensed for circulation in Vietnam, nor does it confirm whether they belong to batches recalled overseas.
As of January 26, 2026, there has been no official confirmation that the Aptamil First Infant Formula 800g batches recalled in the United Kingdom were imported into Vietnam through official channels. Competent authorities are continuing their review and have requested detailed reports from relevant parties.
Nestle Vietnam has also published a statement on its official website affirming that it has not imported into Vietnam any products belonging to the recalled batches announced in European countries. The company said it has neither registered product declarations nor conducted self-declarations for the Beba and Alfamino brands, and does not distribute these products through any channels in Vietnam. Current measures, according to the company and authorities, are being implemented as a precaution.
Under existing regulations, e-commerce platforms and business entities are responsible for controlling the origin and legal status of goods sold, and for promptly preventing, removing, or suspending products that show signs of violations or fall under official safety warnings.
The infant formula products in question have been subject to warnings or recalls by authorities in the United Kingdom and Germany due to potential food safety risks. In Germany, Beba and Alfamino infant powdered milk products were suspended and recalled over concerns about possible cereulide contamination. In the United Kingdom, Aptamil First Infant Formula 800g was recalled after some batches were suspected of cereulide contamination, according to announcements from the manufacturer and local authorities.
