France probes deaths of 2 babies after powdered milk recall

BORDEAUX - France’s health minister sought to reassure consumers on Jan 23 that all suspicious infant formula had been withdrawn, as an investigation began into

the deaths of two babies who drank possibly contaminated powdered milk

.

The

infant formula industry has been rocked

in recent weeks by several firms recalling batches that could be contaminated with

cereulide

, a toxin that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting.

The potentially contaminated milk has been “withdrawn” from the market, Health Minister Stephanie Rist said.

In particular,

Nestle pulled batches of infant milk in several European countries on Jan 6.

French investigators are looking into the cause of death of two infants who allegedly consumed Nestle milk.

One was a two-week-old who died on Jan 8 in Bordeaux, south-west France, after drinking milk from the now-recalled batches, a prosecutor in the city said on Jan 22.

The second, aged just 27 days, died on Dec 23 in the western city of Angers, the local prosecutor said.

The mother contacted the authorities this week, saying her baby had drunk Nestle milk from one of the lots removed from the market.

At this time, there was no established causal link between the formula and their deaths, according to the French authorities.

Nestle told AFP on Jan 23 that it would cooperate with the probes, adding there was “no evidence” at this stage linking its products to the infant deaths.

In another recall, Danone on Jan 23 said it would “withdraw from targeted markets a very limited number of specific batches of infant formula” to comply with the latest guidance from the local food safety authorities.

A source close to the matter said the move followed changes introduced by authorities, notably in Ireland.

Danone later told AFP in a statement it was voluntarily recalling two batches in France as a precaution “in light of new recommendations from a European authority”.

It comes after the

Singapore authorities on Jan 17 recalled Dumex baby formula

, a brand owned by the French food giant.

French group Lactalis on Jan 21 also said it was recalling batches in France and other countries over worries they contained cereulide.

Lactalis did not name the supplier behind the tainted ingredient.

Outside France, countries concerned included Australia, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo-Brazzaville, Ecuador, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Peru, Georgia, Greece, Kuwait, the Czech Republic and Taiwan, a Lactalis spokesperson told AFP. AFP