Nestlé's worldwide baby formula recalled followed by two infant deaths in France

French authorities launched criminal investigations involving the death of two infants who ingested Nestlé baby food recently recalled amid suspicions of contamination.

This is over suspicions that a toxic ingredient in the food contributed to the death of the two infants.

The investigation in Bordeaux involves a newborn who died on January 8 after being fed Guigoz brand baby formula between January 5 and 7.

The Guigoz, whose parent company is Nestlé, issued a global recall initiated in early January after detecting contamination with Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can produce the toxin cereulide.

It causes rapid food poisoning in babies, typically within 30 minutes to 6 hours of consumption, leading to vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.

In severe cases, it can cause potential liver or neurological issues.

A second probe was launched in Angers regarding the December death of a 27-day-old girl whose mother reported using the recalled formula.

Prosecutors noted that no causal link has yet been established.

Angers prosecutor Eric Bouillard stated: “This is a serious lead but it is far too early to say it is the main one.”

Nestlé initiated the “preventive and voluntary” worldwide recall for certain batches of its SMA, Guigoz, and Nidal formulas, citing the safety of babies as an “absolute priority.”

The contamination in these products has been traced to a singular raw material supplier. The cereulide toxin, as warned by health agencies in France and the UK, causes rapid-onset nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps, which are not destroyed by boiling water.