Vietnam orders recall of French Novalac baby formula

The French Ministry of Health on Friday announced a voluntary recall of Allernova AR infant formula manufactured by Laboratoires Novalac that carries batch number 183403.

The decision followed 11 reports of gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and vomiting in infants, plus one additional report through France’s SignalConso consumer platform.

Among the affected infants, one infant was hospitalized after tests detected adenovirus in stool samples. The virus is known to cause gastroenteritis and is generally not transmitted through breast milk.

French officials confirmed the case was unrelated to recent international warnings about cereulide toxin in baby formula.

To protect consumers, the Vietnam Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health has urged provincial health agencies to review product registrations and declarations related to Allernova AR infant formula manufactured by Laboratoires Novalac.

Local health authorities have also been asked to work with companies responsible for distributing the product in Vietnam, if any, and require them to notify distributors and consumers to immediately stop using the affected product and carry out recalls in line with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Distributors will be required to report import volumes, sales figures, remaining inventory, and proposed measures for handling recalled products.

The Vietnam Food Safety Authority requested the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade to notify online marketplaces and sellers to halt sales of the affected batch, remove product listings, and enforce legal measures if necessary.