Moroccan health authorities have reassured consumers that the domestic market is not affected by a voluntary precautionary recall of certain infant milk products announced by Nestlé in several countries.
Nestlé said Monday it was withdrawing specific batches of infant formula from a number of European markets, including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Sweden, as a preventive measure.
The recall followed the detection of traces of Bacillus cereus in one of the raw materials used in production. The bacterium can, under certain conditions, produce a toxin known as cereulide, prompting authorities and the company to take precautionary action.
In Morocco, the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) said the batches concerned were not imported into the country and are not available on the national market.
“Following Nestlé’s precautionary withdrawal of certain infant formula batches in some European countries due to a quality issue affecting one production input, ONSSA confirms that the batches concerned were not imported into Morocco,” the agency said in a statement.
ONSSA added that, upon receiving the health alert, it reinforced sanitary controls on products from the brand at border inspection points through its specialized services.
The agency stressed that all imported food products, including infant nutrition items, are subject to strict health inspections before entering the country, and only products that meet approved safety standards are authorized for distribution.
Earlier, Nestlé Middle East said that limited batches were affected in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Moroccan authorities said they continue to monitor the situation as part of routine food safety surveillance.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.