The lizard-in-the-formula story is getting a little crazy...

When this Sydney mum found something surprising in her tin of baby formula, she probably didn’t see this coming.

Meet Lizzy. More commonly know as Formula Lizard.

On Friday, Lizzy surprised a mum by hiding in a tin of S-26 Original Progress formula which was packaged in Singapore.

Artilina Castanares, 30, from The Ponds, outer north-western Sydney suburb, opened a new tin of the baby formula only to discover the dead lizard.

“I opened it and there was a funny smell. Its tail was sticking up and, thinking it was a thread, I lifted it up and it was a gecko. I squealed and dropped it. I was in shock from then on," Artilina told media.

After taking a photo and complaining to the company and Coles, where she bought the formula from, the story has spread across Australia warning parents of the contaminated batch of formula.

On the Coles Facebook page, Coles made a statement on Lizzy:

We were concerned to see the post yesterday about an issue one of our customers had with S26 Original Progress Formula.

We know this will also be a real concern to you which is why we have immediately withdrawn the product from sale while the supplier urgently investigates how this may have happened. As always safety is our number one concern.

The specific batch affected has been removed from sale (all products with code 40727482). There are other products within the S26 formula range which are still available. S26 Gold formula was not impacted.

While Coles has removed the specific batch from their shelves, a spokeswoman for Careline, the product's contact hotline, told Artilina to return the tin of baby formula to the company's head office, Aspen Australia, who will investigate the matter. However, stated that it could take up to 8 weeks before she heard anything.

Artilina said, "I was in shock. You don’t take any risk when it comes to our children. In the meantime, you would be recalling the product or at least that batch." She also e-mailed Aspen Australia but has not received a response.

And while many parents were talking about the issue in response to the statement, some silly people decided to get the "breastfeeding is best" line in, suggesting parents wouldn't have to worry about contaminated formula if they just breast fed their children:

In response, a few parents fought back:

Not everyone is able to breast feed. And it can't just be 'switched on' when you need it!

Oh come on, here is NOT the place for a 'you should be breast feeding' comment. Grow up.

And if that wasn't enough, some commenters are accusing Artilina of placing Lizzy in the formula tin. They have suggested that it is all part of the "breast is best" campaign by making formula look dangerous. One mum said:

Could be sabotage.

While another said:

Sorry but that lizard in the formula HAS to be a croc! It's not only sitting right on top of the formula but it's not even coated IN formula? If that came from Singapore, that's absolutely impossible to do.. sorry that has scam written all over it to me!

But before you say that this has taken the debate off the real issue, Lizzy has turned Artilina off formula completely.

“I've just been turned off formula completely. I started my daughter on cow’s milk that day."

Disclaimer: iVillage Australia supports baby-feeding of all stripes - breast, bottle and both. Just not with lizards.

Are you horrified by the the lizard in the formula discovery? Will it change your shopping habits? 

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