Five Infants Hospitalized in France Amidst Infant Formula Recall; No Direct Link Confirmed

Five infants in France have been hospitalized after consuming infant formula products involved in a recent global recall due to contamination with the cereulide toxin. However, French health authorities have emphasized that no direct connection has yet been established between the hospitalizations and the contaminated formula. All five infants have since been discharged from the hospital, with the Ministry of Health noting that their symptoms could be attributed to gastroenteritis rather than the formula itself.

This recall, initiated globally in mid-December 2025, began primarily with Nestlé and was followed by other major brands such as Danone and Lactalis, alongside various smaller producers. The cereulide toxin found in the recalled products is known to potentially cause diarrhea and vomiting in newborns, raising public health concerns.

In addition to the hospitalizations, investigations are ongoing into the deaths of two infants who consumed the recalled formula. These cases remain under judicial inquiry, and authorities continue to monitor approximately 40 reports submitted to regional health agencies as part of an extensive surveillance program. Among these, some cases did not involve the recalled products, and for others there is uncertainty over whether the affected infants consumed the implicated formulas.

Pharmacy inspections conducted in December 2025 revealed compliance issues, with 10% of the 31 pharmacies inspected failing to remove the recalled products from their shelves. A second wave of inspections has taken place in January 2026, expanding the scope to more retail locations. While some non-compliance persists, the frequency of serious breaches has decreased.

The ongoing investigation aims to clarify the health impacts of the recalled infant formulas and to ensure full compliance with recall measures across all pharmacies and retailers in France.