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Nestlé says that cereulide, the contaminant behind the recall, does not cause meningitis, the illness for which the infant was hospitalized. UK authorities say no cases of illness associated with Nestlé formula have been clinically confirmed.

When experts from human food, animal food, academia, and government sit at the same table, the common ground is often larger than expected.

USDA-FSIS has reissued its guidance on testing for Listeria species other than Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) food production facilities to reflect expansions made to the agency’s testing method and enforcement actions.

An expert panel that was convened to support FDA’s “Operation Stork Speed” emphasizes the need for streamlined FDA approval processes for infant formulas, more transparent ingredient approval processes (i.e., GRAS, food additive petitions), and enforceable limits for environmental contaminants.

The UK-based Chilled Food Association (CFA) has produced an industry-led good practice guidance for manufacturers and retailers of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods that may support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes to support compliance with UK and EU regulations on the microbiological criteria for foods.

Florida unveiled the Healthy Florida First initiative, a MAHA-aligned product contaminant testing effort, alongside the initiative's first report focused on the presence of toxic heavy metals in infant formulas. Several products had elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

The European Commission has published a revised guidance document on monitoring and shelf-life studies for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods in compliance with recent amendments to Regulation (EU) 2073/2005 on the microbiological criteria for foods.

At the 55^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), prompted by the ongoing infant botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart formula in the U.S., CCFH decided to initiate work related to the control of Clostridium botulinum in powdered infant formula.

As of December 10, a total of 51 infants are included in the ByHeart formula botulism outbreak. With an expanded case definition, CDC has identified cases that occurred as early as December 2023.

The Safe Food Coalition, comprising seven influential stakeholder groups, has written a letter to FDA, CDC, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging the agencies to take immediate action to protect infant formula, in light of the ongoing ByHeart infant botulism outbreak.