Foodwatch files tainted baby formula complaint involving Nestlé

Infant milk: Foodwatch files a complaint against X, Nestlé targeted Keystone-SDA

The NGO Foodwatch has lodged a complaint with a Paris court in connection with the recall of infant milk from the Swiss groups Nestlé and Hochdorf, as well as French companies Danone, Lactalis and Vitagermine.

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The NGO is joining forces with eight families of nine children who have fallen ill, “scattered all over France”, said Foodwatch lawyer François Lafforgue. It is calling for investigations into the companies involved in the mass recall of infant milks initiated in December, due to the presence of cereulide, a toxin caused by bacteria, in some batches.

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“The facts are particularly serious” and “affect babies under the age of six months” and even “premature babies”, explained Ingrid Kragl, Director of Information and Investigations.

“We’re dealing with repeat offenders”, said Managing Director Karine Jacquemart, pointing out that this is “the third time we’ve brought a complaint against Nestlé”.

This follows the Buitoni contaminated pizza scandal in 2022 and that of illegally filtered water, in particular Perrier, “because we had to wait until dozens of children were ill and the authorities were carrying out investigations”, said Jacquemart, also pointing to a salmonella episode at Ferrero.

The NGO hopes that the public health division of the Paris court take up the case, to “determine who is responsible for eight offences”, said Lafforgue. Foodwatch added that it had contacted the public prosecutor’s offices in Bordeaux and Angers, where two criminal proceedings had been opened following the suspicious deaths of infants.

‘Silent’ recalls

The offences relate to “endangering others” and “harming physical integrity”, as well as breaches of the French Rural and Consumer codes.

“The complaint is very long because the infringements are very serious” and “targets the various producers of infant milk”, said Kragl, pointing to the “silent recalls” and the “drip-feed” of information from December onwards.

Nestlé boss Philip Navratil “denies any link between his products and sick babies”, said Kragl. However, “the Belgian, Brazilian and Luxembourg authorities have officially communicated on the link established between the consumption of Nestlé milk and sick children.”

Translated from French by AI/mga

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