The conglomerate initiated the said move.
In its advisory on Monday, January 12, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has commented on the voluntary recalling of infant formula products by multinational company Nestlé in the Philippines.
In particular, the company has told its consumers that it is taking back select batches of its Nan Optipro and Nankid Optipro products “following the detection of a possible quality issue with an ingredient provided by a leading supplier.”
In line with this, the FDA said that it is “actively overseeing and validating” the voluntary recall initiated by Nestlé Philippines.
“The voluntary recall follows a reported incident involving a raw material from the manufacturer’s supplier. At present, there are no established food safety or regulatory limits on the raw material identified,” with the FDA adding that it is “conducting an ongoing investigation to determine the scope of the issue and to assess any potential safety implications.”
In close coordination with the manufacturer, the FDA noted that it is in the process of verifying the specific affected batches, ensuring the prompt and complete removal of recalled products from physical and online retail outlets, and conducting distribution and communication checks to confirm that recall measures are effectively implemented across the supply chain.
“At this time, the FDA has not received any reports of illness or adverse events associated with the recalled products. While no adverse events have been reported, the FDA fully supports this precautionary action to protect public health, especially infants and young children,” it stated.
They then advised consumers to carefully check product batch numbers, immediately discontinue use of any affected products, and strictly follow the recall instructions issued by the manufacturer.
“An official FDA Advisory for the guidance of the general public will be issued to provide further information and updates,” the agency furthered.
In addition, the authorities will continue to carry out post-market surveillance, inspections, and product assessments to ensure that all regulated products in the market meet established safety and quality requirements, with significant findings to be promptly disclosed in the interest of “transparency and consumer protection.”
NESTLÉ’S OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Prior to this, the multinational company already issued its own statement last Friday, January 9, where it told that the “safety and wellbeing of children” are their absolute priority.
It shared that the decision to pull both products from the shelves is “out of an abundance of caution and in line with its strict product quality and safety protocols,” in spite no adverse events being recorded as of yet stemming from the affected batches.
“Only a small number of batches in the Philippines are affected,” with consumers being told to check for the batch numbers on a dedicated website. Instructions and a visual guide on how to find the batch code on the product packaging are also available on the site.
If a consumer has an affected batch, they should discontinue use and contact Nestlé Philippines for assistance through the company’s Facebook page, email address (consumer.services@ph.nestle.com), and hotline at +632-8898-0061.
“This precautionary approach reflects Nestlé Philippines’ uncompromising commitment to product quality and food safety, as well as strength of our quality, traceability, and monitoring systems, which enable us to act responsibly, even in the absence of confirmed health impacts,” it added.
It also expresed its apologies for the inconvenience the issue has caused and their commitment to transparency, adding that they will support every parent and caregiver throughout this process. “The wellbeing of infants and children is at the heart of everything we do,” Nestlé Philippines said.
Meanwhile, “All other Nestlé products, and other batches of the same products, are not in scope of this voluntary recall.”