French judicial authorities have initiated criminal investigations against five prominent infant formula producers—Nestlé, Lactalis, Danone, Babybio, and La Marque en moins—following widespread product recalls triggered by potential cereulide toxin contamination. The Paris Prosecutor’s Office will examine whether these companies committed criminal offenses by distributing products suspected of containing the dangerous toxin.
The development comes amid growing international concern after Nestlé and Danone implemented recalls across more than 60 countries, including the United Kingdom. British officials reported at least 36 infants experienced suspected food poisoning symptoms after consuming the affected formula. French authorities have received formal complaints from eight families whose children suffered vomiting episodes after formula consumption.
Cereulide, a heat-stable toxin that survives cooking and milk preparation processes, can induce severe gastrointestinal distress including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. The contamination has been traced to arachidonic acid (ARA) oil, an additive designed to mimic breast milk’s growth properties. Investigations point to a third-party ARA supplier, believed to be Wuhan-based Cabio Biotech, as the contamination source.
The criminal probe will coordinate with ongoing local investigations examining potential connections between contaminated formula and three infant fatalities in France. Both Nestlé and France’s health ministry emphasize that no conclusive evidence currently links the products to these deaths.
With 28 batches of SMA (Nestlé), Aptamil, and Cow & Gate (Danone) formulas recalled, manufacturers assure that affected products were manufactured previously and likely removed from retail shelves. However, they may still be in household storage, prompting urgent calls for parents to check their supplies.
In response to the crisis, Nestlé announced plans to operate five European factories continuously to boost production and maintain supply chain integrity. The company reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe, high-quality nutritional products for infants worldwide.