Baby milk maker Lactalis recalls product over salmonella fears

A type of baby milk formula has been recalled over fears of a salmonella contamination.

French formula maker Lactalis has ordered a global product recall after health authorities said 26 infants have become sick since early December.

The recall will affect products in countries including the UK, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan and covers hundreds of baby milk products marketed under brands Milumel, Picot and Celi.

Speaking of the recall, company spokesman Michel Nalet told AFP that “nearly 7,000 tonnes” of production may have been contaminated, but the company is currently unable to say how much remains on the market, has been consumed or is in stock.

The company believes the salmonella outbreak can be traced to an evaporation tower – used to dry out the milk – at a factory in the town of Craon in northwest France.

According to the NHS Salmonella bacteria can cause food poisoning and symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.

On average, it takes from 12 to 72 hours for the symptoms to develop after swallowing an infectious dose of salmonella.

Though symptoms usually last for four to seven days and most people recover without treatment, the illness is particularly concerning for the very young (and the elderly) because the dehydration caused by the illness can be life-threatening.

It is not the first time that the baby formula industry has suffered a scare like this. Back in 2008, six babies died and around 300,000 others were made ill in China when local manufacturers were found to be bulking their product with an industrial chemical.

And in 2013, the industry was shaken once more when Danone suffered what turned out to be a false alarm about botulism in its baby milk.

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