For the first time, it was detected in a person who was hospitalized for the toxin ceruleid, after consuming it, which has now been recalled, the French Ministry of Health announced.
The ministry “received a first faecal analysis result positive for the toxin careulid,” the Directorate General of Health announced, confirming information from state radio station Radio France. However this does not lead to the conclusion that there is a causal relationship between the consumption of the milk and the infant’s hospitalization, the competent authority clarified.
The baby formula case broke out in December in about 60 countries because of the possible presence of cereulide. This toxin can cause dangerous vomiting in newborns. Since then many companies, among them Danone and Lactalis, have proceeded with recalls.
Among infants who have consumed the recalled formulas three deaths have been reported in France and about ten hospitalizations. This is the only European country where something like this has happened.
French health authorities have warned that establishing such a causal link could be difficult.
“The result confirms that the infant in question was exposed to this toxin,” the presence of which “is likely to explain the symptoms observed,” the French health ministry admitted, although it declined to attribute “culpability.”
According to Radio France, the infant was taken to a Montpellier hospital earlier this month after consuming Danone’s Gallia milk. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) – two EU agencies – announced on February 19 that the risk of exposure to this toxin is now “low” thanks to the recalls.
