IBFAN WEBINAR WEDNESDAY 21 JANUARY 2026

Serious Food Safety Failings expose global health risks of unregulated online cross-border promotion.

Yasmine apologises that her presentation is a little rushed, also that in her description of the complexity of the food supply chain,  the multitude of hazards and unpredictability of fraud, she used a French word that implies that incidents are ‘inevitable.’    She meant to say ‘unavoidable.’     

Here are the slides:

The tale of three infant formula crises.  Presentation by Yasmine Motarjemi, 21.1.26

Is Powdered Formula Safe?   Presentation by Elisabeth Sterken

Food safety risks of self-regulation and online cross-border promotion. Presentation by Patti Rundall

• Yasmine Motarjemi, formerly WHO’s Food Safety Senior Officer (1990-2000) and  Nestlé’s Global Director of Food Safety and Assistant Vice-President (2000 to 2010). Yasmine explain how she was forced to leave her job after repeatedly raising concerns about Nestlé’s mismanagement of food safety.  All the time she was in post at Nestlé, her department of food quality, the cockpit of the Company,was never inspected by government authorities, not even when food incidents occurred. She refused to be silenced and became a whistleblower. (Slides 2026)
• Elisabeth Sterken, INFACT Canada, IBFAN Global Council and Coordinator of IBFAN’s Codex team. (E.Sterken Presentation)
• Lynn Moeng Mahlangu, IBFAN AFRICA TECHNICAL Director, former  Head of Health Promotion and Nutrition in South African Ministry of Health.
• Patti Rundall, IBFAN Global Council. Presentation
• Nigel Rollins, Professor,  Queen’s University, Belfast.  Formerly WHO Maternal Child Health

Background:

In November, a new US company called ByHeart recalled  its Powdered Infant Formulas (PIF) in the USA  because of risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination.  This was followed in January, with a recall in 60+ countries of Nestlé’s infant, follow-on, pre-term and specialised formulas Austria’s Health Ministry has said that the recall is the largest in the company’s history, affecting more than 800 products from over 10 Nestlé factories. Contamination outbreaks are especially problematic in the Global South and settings where the risks of using formula are greater, diagnosis is restricted and access to treatment is reduced. The global online promotion and sale exacerbates the risks, idealising products and encouraging unquestioning trust.

ByHeart&Botulism: serious food safety failing expose online marketing risks

Nestlé’s credibility questioned as formulas recalled in 60+ countries over contamination risk

Moomysmilk Facebook A 10-month-old boy in Portland, Oregon named Ashaan Carter is still struggling to recover after contracting infant botulism linked to contaminated ByHeart baby formula that was donated through a program intended to help low-income and homeless families. After drinking the formula, he developed severe symptoms including muscle weakness and constipation, was hospitalized twice, and remains on a feeding tube while relearning basic motor and communication skills.

Mum of baby who fell seriously ill after being given now-recalled infant formula calls for investigation Katerina Vittozzi

Nestlé Chief Executive apologises for ‘worry’ over infant formula recall Thursday, 15 Jan 2026

Civil society perspectives ahead of WHO EB158

Series of policy debates hosted by the Geneva Global Health Hub (G2H2), 19 – 23 January 2026, ahead of EB158.

Ahead of the 158^th session of the WHO Executive Board, this series of G2H2 policy debates offers a platform for civil society to engage with  key questions concerning global health, connecting policy discussions with their implications for health systems, communities, and equity worldwide. Spanning from the assessment of “hot” topics to be addressed at the upcoming Executive Board, to a detailed analysis of other burning technical or political matters that have been left out, each session will feature selected speakers which will guide us into an enriching discussion.
Join us by registering to each session ( below) and bring along interested colleagues!