The Vietnamese distributor of the US-made baby formula Abbott is recalling the Similac Gain Plus Eye-Q products, following a recent suspicion it could be tainted with the toxic substance clostridium botulinum.

A company representative confirmed the recalling campaign with Tuoi Tre on Sunday.

Earlier on Saturday, the Vietnam Food Administration under the Ministry of Health issued a directive ordering the representative of Abbott in Vietnam to stop circulation and recall several imported lots of the said type of milk, which is suspected of containing clostridium botulinum.

Similac Gain Plus Eye-Q is a baby formula for babies from 1 to 3, sold in the 400g and 900g cans.

Clostridium botulinum is rod-shaped bacterium that produces several toxins, including neurotoxins, which cause the flaccid muscular paralysis seen in botulism.

The representative of the Vietnamese unit of Abbott meanwhile advised customers to check if they have bought the allegedly infected products by checking the Lot Number information beneath the milk cans.

The infected lot numbers as announced by Abbott include: 2564G54114, 2564G54115, 2564G54116, 2564G54117, 2564G54118, 2565G54118, 2565G54119, 2566G54119, 2566G54120, 2567G54120, 2676G54120.

Should the information match the above numbers, customers should stop using the products and take them for exchange at the stores.

The Vietnam recall is part of the global campaign that is taking place in China, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia, after Fonterra New Zealand, the giant New Zealand dairy cooperative, announced on Saturday that a single raw ingredient used in its baby formula could contain bacteria linked to botulism.

The tainted ingredient is in the products that were exported to the above countries.