FDA probe on infant formula milk urged

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate Nestlé Philippines' recall of batches of infant and growing-up milk formula products.

Gatchalian is calling on the FDA to look into the recall of Nan Optipro and Nankid Optipro, noting that several parents had trusted these milk products.

"Tulad ng maraming mga magulang na nagtiwala sa mga produktong ito, nababahala ako sa maaaring maging epekto nito sa kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga bata (Like many parents who have trusted these products, I am concerned about the potential impact this could have on the health and safety of children)," he said.

"Mahalagang linawin natin kung paano nangyari ito at kung paano natin maiiwasan ang ganitong klaseng mga insidente (It is important that we clarify how this happened and how we can prevent these types of incidents from happening again)," he added.

The senator said they also expect Nestlé Philippines' full cooperation with any future inquiries.

"Nestlé should also ensure that all concerns of affected parents and caregivers are duly addressed."

'Actively overseeing'

The FDA assured the public that it is "actively overseeing and validating" the voluntary recall, which was initiated by Nestlé Philippines involving the two infant formula products.

The FDA said 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. The FDA is conducting an ongoing investigation to determine the scope of the issue and to assess any potential safety implications," the agency said.

In close coordination with the manufacturer, the agency said it is 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.

As of writing, the FDA said it has not received any reports of illness or adverse events associated with the recalled products.