Cereulide Testing for Infant Food & High-Risk Products
Fast, reliable and validated Cereulide analysis
Following recent recalls in the infant formula market, awareness around Cereulide contamination has increased significantly. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced by certain strains of Bacillus cereus and poses a serious risk, especially in infant food and baby formula.
Normec Foodcare offers validated in-house Cereulide testing, enabling food manufacturers to act quickly, confidently and compliantly.
Why Normec Foodcare
Proven expertise in high-risk food analytics
Fast response following market incidents and recalls
Reliable, validated methods used across international clients
Part of a leading European Testing, Inspection & Certification group
What is Cereulide?
Cereulide is a cyclic peptide toxin that can be produced during bacterial growth under improper storage or processing conditions. Once formed, Cereulide cannot be destroyed by heat treatment, making prevention, monitoring and analytical testing essential.
Cereulide findings are considered particularly critical in infant food and products for young children, where tolerance levels are extremely low and reputational impact is high.
Why Cereulide testing is critical
Cereulide causes acute vomiting and nausea, typically within 6 hours
Severe cases may lead to liver damage or cerebral oedema
No generally applicable legal limit exists, increasing regulatory uncertainty
Infant food producers face zero-tolerance market expectations
Early detection through reliable analytics is therefore crucial for risk mitigation, quality assurance and regulatory confidence.
Our Cereulide testing service
Our laboratories have rapidly developed and validated a robust LC-MS/MS method for the reliable determination of Cereulide in a wide range of food matrices.
Service parameters
Method: LC-MS/MS
Limit of quantification (LOQ): 0.1 µg/kg
Turnaround time: 3–5 working days
Sample size required: 50–100 g
Suitable for: Infant formula, baby food, ingredients, starchy products and all other food products
Accreditation: ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory environment
For which products?
Cereulide testing is particularly relevant for:
Infant formula and baby food
Ingredients for infant nutrition
Starchy products (e.g. rice-based ingredients, cereals)
Ready-to-eat foods with extended shelf life