Nestlé identified very small quantities of cereulide in product samples at the end of November 2025 during routine checks at its Netherlands factory, according to a chronology provided by the company.
Production on the affected line was halted immediately, and by December 10, Nestlé notified Dutch authorities, the European Commission, and sixteen potentially impacted country markets.
Further investigation revealed the contamination source was not the Dutch plant itself but an oil sourced from an external supplier, which Nestlé had processed in Switzerland and distributed globally.
Internal laboratory analysis conducted by Nestlé on December 23 confirmed the contaminated oil mixture as the origin, narrowing the issue to deliveries received during 2025.
This finding indicated a systemic risk beyond Nestlé, as other manufacturers, including Danone and Hochdorf, utilized the same supplier for similar ingredients.
Nestlé subsequently informed the supplier and industry bodies, initiating public recalls across approximately 60 countries starting January 2, though some recalls lagged by two to three weeks.
Contradicting the company's timeline, the French newspaper Le Monde reported, citing a high-ranking source, that Nestlé was aware of the oil mixture as the source by December 10, the same day it notified authorities.
