French Child Health Association Sues State Over Infant Milk Contamination Mishandling

On January 26, 2026, the Association for Children's Health filed a lawsuit against the French government in the Paris administrative court, accusing it of "grave negligence" in handling the contaminated infant milk scandal. Major baby formula producers including Nestlé, Danone, and Lactalis recalled products worldwide after contamination risks emerged from a Chinese supplier, Cabio Biotech, linked to the presence of cereulide toxin, a harmful bacterial product.

The association demands the immediate recall of all infant formulas containing arachidonic acid (ARA) sourced from Cabio Biotech and seeks the suspension of production at five French factories associated with these companies. Quentin Guillemain, president of the association, condemned the government’s slow response, highlighting that a delay of over a month to initiate recalls contradicts precautionary public health principles.

They are also calling for stringent factory cleaning controls and the establishment of a dedicated platform to transparently disseminate information to the public. The group has requested a judicial summary ruling to enforce urgent measures and a criminal investigation into the scandal, which has tragically been linked to two infant deaths following consumption of the recalled Nestlé formulas.

French Ministry of Agriculture officials noted European health authorities' recent recommendation to recall products exceeding 0.03 micrograms of toxin per kilogram of body weight. The association's action echoes its prior advocacy during the 2017 salmonella contamination linked to Lactalis, reinforcing demands for stricter safety enforcement.

The scandal has already affected the market, with Nestlé and Danone experiencing respective share value drops of 6% and 10% since recall announcements. The association insists on immediate, enforced measures to protect infant health and to enhance transparency and contamination monitoring under standardized European norms.