Shock as Infant's Nestlé’s Cerelac Accused of Risking Baby Health with Toxic Cerelac Products Highly Sold in Kenya

The controversy surrounding Nestlé’s popular Cerelac baby cereal has deepened after a new investigation accused the multinational company of exposing millions of infants in Kenya and across Africa to dangerously high levels of added sugar, in violation of global health standards.

The revelations have triggered public outrage, renewed calls for accountability, and urgent questions about the safety of food products marketed to vulnerable children.

The scandal emerged after Swiss NGO Public Eye published an extensive investigation in November 2025 analysing nearly 100 Cerelac samples from more than 20 African countries.

 The findings were damning: over 90% of tested samples contained added sugar, despite the World Health Organization (WHO) recommending zero added sugars for children under the age of three.

 According to health experts, early exposure to sugar can influence lifelong eating habits, increase the risk of childhood obesity, and contribute to diet-related diseases later in life.

What has shocked many Kenyans is that the country recorded the highest levels of added sugar among all the markets studied.

 A Cerelac product intended for infants as young as six months contained 7.5 grams of added sugar per serving, the equivalent of nearly two sugar cubes.

This amount is significantly higher than samples collected in Egypt, Madagascar, South Africa, Nigeria and Malawi, where sugar levels averaged around five grams per serving.

Researchers partnered with civil society groups across Africa to collect 94 samples, which were then sent to Inovalys, a French reference laboratory specialising in agri-food analysis.

 Reports show that while Cerelac sold in Europe—particularly in Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom—contains zero added sugar, the products sold across Africa carry much higher sugar content.

In several cases, sugar-free Cerelac products found in African markets were actually imports originally manufactured for European consumers rather than products intended for African babies.

This disparity has fuelled accusations that Nestlé has deliberately applied double standards in its formulation. Nineteen African civil society organisations signed an open letter to Nestlé’s global leadership condemning the company for knowingly exposing African infants to ingredients that would not be allowed in its own home country.

The groups argued that, “Nestlé knows how to produce healthier options, yet African children are given the least healthy versions.”

Nestlé, however, has defended its products, insisting that it follows all regulatory and labelling requirements and offers both sugar-free and sugar-added variants worldwide.

The company says it is accelerating the rollout of no-added-sugar options and hopes to provide complete coverage across all markets by the end of 2025.

Nestlé has maintained that sugar is added to improve taste and help transition infants to complementary foods, a claim health experts have strongly contested.

The investigation also uncovered serious transparency shortcomings. Laboratory results showed that two-thirds of the Cerelac samples tested did not correctly declare the presence of added sugars on the packaging.

For many parents across Kenya, especially in low-income households, Cerelac is a trusted product often bought at significant personal sacrifice to ensure their children receive proper nutrition. Many say they were never informed that the cereal contained added sugars.

Health professionals warn that such practices could worsen the continent’s rising obesity crisis. Projections indicate that obesity rates in Africa could increase by 250% by 2050, placing immense strain on healthcare systems that are already overburdened.

Early sugar exposure also increases the risk of dental problems, diabetes and metabolic disorders, intensifying concerns about long-term public health implications.

In Kenya, where malnutrition and childhood stunting remain widespread, the findings have stirred deep frustration. Public health advocates argue that families already grappling with unstable diets are now being misled by products marketed as nutritious and beneficial.

 Critics say this not only undermines trust but also risks widening health inequalities between African children and their counterparts in wealthier nations.

Consumer protection groups are now demanding immediate regulatory action. They are calling for Kenya's Ministry of Health, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), and international regulatory bodies to conduct independent reviews, enforce stricter labelling standards and ensure compliance with WHO nutritional guidelines for infants.

 Some groups have urged a temporary suspension of sugar-added Cerelac products until full evaluations are complete.