FOOD and drinks giant Nestle SA said yesterday it has completed its US$2.5-billion takeover of Novartis Medical Nutrition.

Nestle was required to divest health care nutrition units in France and Spain to comply with antitrust demands by the European Commission, which was worried about the company's new dominance of the market for liquid food, used to feed patients intravenously.

The deal, which gives Nestle control of brands such as the Boost and Resource nutritional supplements and Optifast dieting products, also requires 2,000 Novartis employees to join the Vevey, Switzerland-based company.