Baby food

Breastfeeding

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History

2026

Rospotrebnadzor stopped the import of Nestle baby dry mixtures into the Russian Federation due to the detection of a toxin in them. It causes vomiting

In January 2026, Rospotrebnadzor suspended the import of eight types of dry infant formula under the Nestle brand into Russia. The decision is related to the detection of a toxic substance in the production - cereulide. This measure applies to batches of goods manufactured from April 15 to November 27, 2025. Read more here.

Dangerous toxins found in popular baby formula Lactalis that cause diarrhea and vomiting in babies

In popular baby formula Lactalis found a dangerous toxin cereulide, causing diarrhea and vomiting in babies. This was announced in January 2026 by Reuters. According to Euronews, traces of cereulide come from Chinese oil supplier ARA, which is the main ingredient in premium formula for children. A toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus was found in the oil. Lactalis could face multimillion-dollar losses after massive baby formula recalls. Read more here

Babies get sick and die due to Nestle, Danone and Abbott infant formula mimicking mother's milk

A series of reviews of infant formula around the world revealed a systemic problem in the industry: the desire to bring mixtures closer to breast milk through complex ingredients increases the risks of pollution and weakens supply chain control.

France is investigating the deaths of two babies, a possible link to Nestlé infant formula.

In the United States, hospitalization of babies led to a large-scale recall of the products of the startup ByHeart.

The cases affected the market's biggest players - Nestle, Danone and Abbott - and completely damaged confidence in an industry previously considered one of the most regulated in the world.

A key element of the crisis was arachidonic acid oil (ARA), a brain development supplement widely used in mixtures. The source of Nestlé's pollution was linked to ARA supplies from Chinese company Cabio, one of the world's biggest producers.

The expansion of suppliers and fragmented regulation led to the fact that control is increasingly based on private audits, and not on government inspections.

Nestlé's recall was the largest in the company's history and affected more than 60 countries.

WHO recalls: breastfeeding remains the safest and most effective way to feed babies, but the formula market continues to grow and could exceed $180 billion by 2034.

France records death of two babies due to Nestle infant formula

On January 23, 2026, the Ministry health care France reported that local investigators were examining the circumstances of the deaths of two babies who consumed baby formula containing the toxin cereulide. We are talking, in particular, about Nestle products, including mixtures of SMA, BEBA and NAN. More. here

2025

Toxins causing sepsis and vision loss found in Nestle infant formula

On December 10, 2025, Nestle announced the recall of Nan infant formula in Europe due to the discovery of gram-positive spore-forming soil bacteria Bacillus cereus. They can cause sepsis and vision loss. Read more here.

Launch of the first production of the prebiotic lactulose in Russia, necessary for medicine and baby food

In May 2025 Stavropol , the launch of the first Russia in the production of the prebiotic lactulose - the most important component for creating functional dairy ingredients used in to medicine baby nutrition and veterinary medicine. The project was implemented by the Stavropol dairy plant in cooperation with the North Caucasus Federal University support of the Ministry of Science and Higher. formations The total investment in the project ranged from ₽415 to ₽700 million. More here

2024

Production of dairy mixtures for children in Russia for the year increased by 10.6% to 349.8 thousand tons

The production of dairy products for baby food in Russia reached 349.8 thousand tons at the end of 2024. The volume of production increased by 10.6% compared to the previous year. The increase is due to the increase in demand for quality mixtures for young children, the expansion of production capacity and the introduction of new technologies for milk processing. This is evidenced by the data of the analytical company Alto Consulting Group, released in October 2025.

The leader in terms of production was the Central Federal District. The region provided 57.8% of the total output. The high concentration of processing plants and developed logistics make this district strategically important for providing the country with baby food.

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Фото: Freepik

Average producer prices for milk powder and formula powder for young children rose 51.5% between 2022 and 2024. The cost increased from ₽384 138.4 per tonne to ₽581 973.7. In July 2025, there was a slight decrease in prices by 2.3% compared to the level of the previous month - to ₽594 421.0 per ton.

The change in prices is associated with an increase in the cost of raw materials and components for milk mixtures. The increase in packaging and logistics costs is also reflected in the final price. Innovative manufacturing processes and improving quality standards require additional investment. Regional fluctuations in demand and seasonal changes in consumption create price volatility. The influence of state norms and quality control of baby food sets high requirements for producers.

An increase in production by 10.6% indicates an increase in demand for baby food. Parents choose quality formula for their children. Expansion of production capacities allows enterprises to increase output. New milk processing technologies improve the quality of final products.^[1]

3.8% increase in dairy production for baby food to 190 thousand tons

The production of dairy products for baby food in Russia increased by 3.8%, amounting to 190 thousand tons. This is evidenced by BusinesStat data released in March 2025.

Output partially recovered after the decline of 2022-2023. The increase in production was facilitated by the solution of problems with logistics, with suppliers of raw materials and packaging. The decisive factor was the increase in demand due to the increased incomes of the population and the strengthening of state support for families with children. However, the increase in demand is limited by the reduction in the birth rate in the country.^[2]

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