French Report Faults State and Formula Makers in Infant Milk Toxin Crisis

Overview

• The parliamentary report, released Tuesday, says the state and manufacturers reacted too slowly, relied on self-checks, and warned health workers only after 17 days.
• An investigation by Radio France, RTS and RTBF disclosed Tuesday that Nestlé quietly pulled products in Germany and Austria before a January 5 global recall, a practice the European Commission says has no legal basis.
• Nestlé learned on December 24 that the source was an ARA oil ingredient, notified other companies on December 30, and informed French authorities on January 5, despite rules requiring immediate alerts of potential risk.
• Lawmakers link the contamination to the same arachidonic-acid oil supplied by Chinese firm Cabio Biotech and question supplier controls, urging 14 fixes including independent testing funded by industry and faster child-food alerts.
• Officials say the health impact remains unclear, with two of three initially reported infant deaths later ruled unrelated, while consumer complaints and judicial inquiries continue to press for accountability and clearer guidance for families.