Counterfeit infant formula in Argentina: three cases in one month and no national health alert. How to spot a fake box
Nutrilon and SanCor Bebé Advanced 1 had counterfeit units in October; in one of them, Senasa found aflatoxin M1 above 6 times the limit. Chequeado revealed there was no national alert. What to check on the package and what to do if your baby already drank it.
Photo: Salud3 / Imagen ilustrativa generada con IA · Imagen ilustrativa
Illustrative image: A baby bottle and powdered formula. Not the brands in this case.
In October, Argentina detected three cases of counterfeit infant formula in just one month, but no national health warning was issued to consumers, according to an investigation by Chequeado published on November 2 and picked up by La Gaceta and El Observador.
The cases involve two very well-known brands.
The three cases
- October 1: alert over counterfeit units of Nutrilon, issued by the Buenos Aires province authority (DIPA).
- October 27: a new case involving Nutrilon AR1, after a baby vomited, according to the coverage.
- October 28: counterfeit units of SanCor Bebé Advanced 1. The Federal Police carried out 14 raids in the City of Buenos Aires and in Ezeiza, Quilmes, San Vicente, Lanús, Cañuelas and Roque Pérez, seized more than 500 units and identified 5 people as alleged participants.
A Senasa analysis found aflatoxin M1, a toxin produced by molds, in the counterfeit SanCor Bebé units at concentrations more than 6 times the limit set by the Argentine Food Code. Ethical Nutrition, the company that makes the product, clarified that the investigation stemmed from its own complaint and that "this is not a general alert about SanCor Bebé," but about specific products whose authenticity is in question.
Why there was no national alert
Chequeado explains that INAL, which used to publish food alerts on the ANMAT website, was dissolved by Decree 697/2026 in July, and its duties were transferred to Senasa. ANMAT replied that food control is no longer within its remit. The last food alert published on the ANMAT site dates from July 2026, and Chequeado found no equivalent public record on the websites of Senasa or the Ministry of Health.
The counterfeit units were sold in supermarkets and on online platforms, according to the Ministry of Security.
How to spot it and what to do
- Check the package: differences found included altered colors, different die cuts and measuring scoops that looked 3D-printed.
- Buy at pharmacies or trusted stores and avoid informal sellers and social media.
- If you suspect a unit, don't use it, keep the package and product without handling them, and call 0800-888-6568 (the line given for the SanCor Bebé case).
- If your baby already drank it, talk to their pediatrician. If there is vomiting, diarrhea, food refusal or lethargy, go to an emergency room and bring the package.
The warnings refer to specific counterfeit units and do not mean that all production of Nutrilon or SanCor Bebé is adulterated. If you have any doubts about your baby's feeding, talk to your pediatrician.
Read also: "Cara de ferritina": lo que dicen los médicos
Sources
For information only. It does not replace advice from a health professional. Medical disclaimer