The Maldives Food and Drugs Authority, MFDA, has banned the use of some baby formula products from a French brand named "Babybio".
MFDA said in a statement today that a toxic substance called cereolide has been found in some batches of Babybio formula. It said that, as per the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, French authorities have ordered the product to be withdrawn from the market.
MFDA banned the import, sale, and use of four batches of the baby formula.
Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus, B. megaterium, and related species.
It is a potent cytotoxin that destroys mitochondria. It causes nausea and vomiting. Cereulide acts as an ionophore with a high affinity for potassium cations.
