Nigerian Public Alert 53: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is alerting healthcare providers, caregivers, and the public about a report of a suspected revalidated SMA Gold First Infant Milk Formula (900g) found for sale in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The product allegedly caused gastrointestinal distress in a 4-month-old infant following consumption.
Physical examination of the complaint product sample revealed clear indicators of date marking alteration. The manufacturing and expiry date on the top preprinted sticker was inconsistent with the underlying, originally printed version. This confirms the suspicion of revalidation and tampering.
SMA Gold Infant Formula is a nutritionally complete, whey-dominant formula designed to mirror the nutritional profile of breast milk for babies from birth to 6 months.
The integrity of the product is dependent on compliance with regulatory requirements. Any alteration or extension of the shelf life without regulatory approval poses significant risks to public health.
Potential Risks:
Date revalidation of infant formula is a critical violation and constitutes the following risks:
- Product Adulteration: Alteration of date markings constitutes material misrepresentation of product quality and safety status.
- Consumer Deception: False dating misleads consumers regarding product freshness and nutritional integrity.
- Public Health Endangerment: Expired infant formula may harbor microbial contamination and degraded nutrients, posing serious risks to vulnerable infants whose immune systems are still developing.
Infant formula is the primary nutritional source for many babies under six months. The reported adverse event of diarrhea in a 4-month-old infant suggests potential product deterioration that could lead to serious health issues:
- Acute gastroenteritis requiring hospitalization
- Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in infants
- Malnutrition due to compromised nutritional content
- Secondary infections in immunocompromised infants
- Fatal outcomes in severe cases if contaminated with pathogenic bacteria
Product Details
The details of the revalidated product are as follows;
| Status | Revalidated |
| Product Name | SMA GOLD From Birth First Infant Milk, 900g |
| Stated Manufacturer | Nestle |
| Batch | 22939510A1206 07:35 |
| Manufactured Date | 20-1-2025 |
| Expiring Date | 20-1-2027 |
| Stated NAFDAC Reg. No | B1-2783 |
NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding public health and will continue surveillance activities to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of all NAFDAC-regulated products circulating in Nigeria.
All NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the revalidated product if found within the zones and states.
Distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the distribution, sale, and use of the SF product. All packaged food and medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.
Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified regulated products to the nearest NAFDAC office, call NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322, or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng
Consumers are encouraged to report suspected availability of the revalidated SMA GOLD First Infant Milk, 900g, to the nearest NAFDAC office. Report adverse events or side effects related to the use of the implicated product to the nearest NAFDAC office, or through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website www.nafdac.gov.ng, or via the Med-safety application available for download on Android and IOS stores, or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng
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