France probes death of babies after powdered milk recall

France’s health minister on Friday sought to reassure consumers that all suspicious infant formula had been withdrawn, as an investigation began into the deaths of two babies who drank possibly contaminated powdered milk.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The potentially contaminated milk has been “withdrawn” from the market, Health Minister Stephanie Rist said.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 baby who died on Jan.8 in Bordeaux, southwest France, after drinking milk from the now-recalled batches, a prosecutor in the city said on Thursday.

The second infant, 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 the 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 French authorities.

Nestle said on Friday it would cooperate with the probes, adding there was “no evidence” at this stage linking its products to the infant deaths.

French group Lactalis on Wednesday 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, the Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Peru, Georgia, Greece, Kuwait, the Czech Republic, and Taiwan, a Lactalis spokesperson told reporters.

Singapore authorities on Saturday recalled Dumex baby formula, a brand owned by French food giant Danone.

Agence France-Presse