Some parents questioned the statement of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines concerning the recall of certain infant formula products.
The health regulatory agency said on Monday, January 12, that it is “actively overseeing and validating the voluntary recall” initiated by Nestlé Philippines involving specific batches of Nankid Optipro and Nan Optipro.
“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,” FDA Philippines said in a statement.
It added that it is conducting an ongoing investigation to determine the scope of the issue and assess potential safety implications.
The agency said it is also verifying the specific affected batches, including removing recalled products from physical and online retail stores and conducting distribution checks to ensure that measures are implemented across the supply chain.
The FDA Philippines likewise said it has not received any reports of illness or adverse events associated with the recalled products and 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.”
It assured the public that it will continue to do post-market surveillance, inspections, and product assessments to ensure all regulated products meet established safety and quality requirements.
“Any significant findings will be promptly disclosed in the interest of transparency and consumer protection,” the FDA Philippines said.
Meanwhile, some Facebook users who learned of the statement took to the comments section to share their alleged experiences involving the infant formula products.
Complaints from parents about their children experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue appeared online in response to the FDA Philippines’ statement that it had not received any reports of illness related to the products.
“Food and Drug Administration Philippines, na-ospital ‘yung anak ko dahil diyan sa negligence ng Nestlé NANKID Philippines. Ang findings pa ay Gastroenteritis!!! Buhay ng mga babies ang pinaguusapan dito!!! Ang mahal mahal na nga ng gatas, tapos ‘yun pa ‘yung magiging reason kung ba’t sila mapapahamak???” a Pinoy wrote.
“Ni walang nagreresponse sa Nestle or Nankid na page at email. How come walang affected na babies, e contaminated nga ‘yung milk??? SO DISAPPOINTING,” she added, sharing a picture of her child hospitalized.
“Nagtatae nga anak ko dahil sa affected ‘yung milk na nainom niya, tapos sa post niyo, no adverse effects. Nagtanong ba kayo sa mga magulang na ang anak nila nakainom ng affected batch? ‘Yung iba pa nga, na-confine pa anak nila tapos ang Nestlé, hindi man lang mag-reply, papalitan lang daw ‘yung product nila,” another wrote.
“Paano kaya ‘yung ginastos sa pagpapa-hospital at check-up, pati ‘yung napakaraming diaper na panay palit dahil sa laging tae, ‘yung pagod namin at stress dahil sa nangyayari sa anak namin,” the Facebook user added.
“Pamangkin ko ay isa sa naka-consume ng gatas na ‘yan. Late na inilabas ang pag-recall. May sakit ang bata. Nag-message na sa inyo at sa Nestle ang kapatid ko. Paano nangyari na wala kayo report na natanggap tungkol sa masamang epekto ng gatas na ito? Ang bata ay nanghihina, nagsusuka at nagtatae,” another Pinoy said.
“Daming nagtae, kasama baby ko. Amoeba, nag-antibiotic ng [one] week, tapos no adverse effects?” a different Filipino commented.
Another Facebook user said that families affected by the product recall “deserve transparency and accountability.”
“My Godson consumed a 2.4-kilogram NAN OptiPro product that is included in the recall. Since consuming this product, he has experienced noticeable and concerning changes, including loss of appetite, refusal to drink milk, and persistent foul-smelling stools that require extensive cleaning after each bowel movement,” the Facebook user said.
“These symptoms began only after consumption of the recalled product. I am also aware of other parents reporting similar effects, which suggests that adverse reactions may be more widespread than your statement acknowledges. Stating that there are ‘no adverse effects’ dismisses the experiences of parents and children who are clearly suffering,” the Facebook user added.
“Please ensure that your communications to the public are factual and responsible. Families affected by this recall deserve transparency and accountability,” the Facebook user continued.
“[Four] packs na ang naubos ng baby ko na nag-resulta sa pagtatae at pagsusuka. Once and for all, they should have conducted a thorough quality check before selling it. They shouldn’t be putting children’s lives at risk,” another Pinoy wrote.
“No adverse effects? Nagka-amoebiasis lang naman baby ko. At [five] days na-confine. Suka, tae. Kung ‘di pa napalitan ng gatas sa ospital, tuloy-tuloy malamang pagtatae at pagsuka niya. Trauma pa inabot sa nurses at doctor. Paki-check [nang] maayos FDA. Gawin [nang] maayos trabaho,” said a different user.
“My son consumed [three] packs and experienced vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme stomach pain. We are reporting the illnesses experienced by our children but we are not receiving any feedback! This is so alarming!” exclaimed another Pinoy.
Some also claimed that their children developed rashes following the reported consumption of the infant product.
“Na-consumed na sa baby ‘yung last box, [four] packs, at ‘yung nauna pa, ‘di na namin na-secure ‘yung box. Diarrhea, vomiting, paghihina. Was admitted last November, ‘di namin na-secure ‘yung box at ‘yung ngayon, same pa rin, Nan Optipro, rashes malala sa baby at pagtatae,” a user wrote.
‘Voluntary recall’
On January 9, Nestlé Nankid Philippines announced that it would initiate a “voluntary recall” of certain Nankid Optipro and Nan Optipro products following “the detection of a possible quality issue with an ingredient from a leading supplier.”
It provided no further details but assured the public that “only a small number of batches in the Philippines” are affected.
The brand also shared steps that parents and caregivers can take, especially if their products were included in the recall.
“We sincerely apologize for any concern or inconvenience this may have caused, and we would like to assist you,” it said.
By January 10, Nankid had shared a step-by-step guide for parents and caregivers on what to do if they learned that their product was part of the voluntary recall.
“We understand this news may cause concern, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We are committed to support every parent and caregiver throughout this process,” it said.
Nankid later apologized to those who had been unable to receive responses following the issue, saying it is “increasing” its customer care manpower, “expanding” its communication lines, and “adding new channels” to respond to its patrons more quickly.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding, we are committed to assisting every parent and caregiver throughout this process,” it said on January 12.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian urged the FDA Philippines to investigate the product recall, saying that authorities should determine what measures are needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
He emphasized that clarity and accountability were essential, stressing the need to understand both the cause of the issue and the safeguards in place.
Gatchalian also said that Nestlé Philippines should cooperate in future inquiries and address the concerns of affected consumers.
