A toxic substance in infant formula, slush ice containing excessive amounts of glycerin, and “mystery boxes” have posed challenges for Saxony’s food inspectors over the past two years. Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) spoke of two eventful years during the presentation of the report for 2024 and 2025.
In December 2025, for example, authorities received a warning about contaminated infant formula. The discovery of the toxin cereulide was reported via the Europe-wide rapid alert system. This toxin can cause nausea and vomiting within a very short time.
Since the toxin, which is produced by bacteria, cannot be removed after the fact, all affected products had to be taken off the market as quickly as possible, as Rüdiger Helling, head of food and feed monitoring at the Ministry of Health, explained. Through international cooperation, the authorities were able to identify the source of the contamination as a specific batch of an ingredient that the manufacturers sourced from China.
