France probes deaths of two babies after Nestlé infant formula recall
'No evidence' at this stage linking infant deaths to the contaminated milk
France's health minister on Friday sought to reassure consumers that all suspicious infant formula had been withdrawn, as an investigation began into the deaths of two babies who drank possibly contaminated powdered milk.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The potentially contaminated milk has been "withdrawn" from the market, Health Minister Stephanie Rist said.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, Nestlé pulled batches of infant milk in several European countries on January 6, including Malta.
French investigators are looking into the cause of death of two infants who allegedly consumed Nestlé milk.
One was a two-week old baby who died on January 8 in Bordeaux, southwest France, after allegedly drinking milk from the now-recalled batches, a prosecutor in the city said on Thursday.
The second infant, aged just 27 days, died on December 23 in the western city of Angers, the local prosecutor said.
The mother contacted the authorities this week, saying the baby had drunk Nestlé 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.
Nestlé told AFP 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 AFP.
Singapore authorities on Saturday recalled Dumex baby formula, a brand owned by French food giant Danone.
Danone said the authorities blocked just "a few pallets" of Dumex, indicating they were not yet on any store shelves.