France tightens safety limit for cereulide toxin in infant formula after global recalls
France has lowered the safety threshold for cereulide toxin in infant formula, moving to fortify consumer protections after contamination in a widely used ingredient triggered recalls by major brands across dozens of countries.
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The agriculture ministry said the new limit is set at 0.014 micrograms of cereulide per kilogram of body mass, reduced from 0.03 micrograms per kilogram. The change follows a European Union meeting on Jan. 28 and is aligned with updated guidance from the European Food Safety Authority due to be released Monday.
Cereulide is a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. It has been detected in ingredients sourced from a factory in China that supplies a large number of baby formula manufacturers, including Nestlé, Danone and Lactalis. The contamination has prompted a wave of recalls in dozens of countries and stirred anxiety among parents.
EU coordination and tighter guardrails
French authorities framed the tighter threshold as a precautionary step while European regulators finalize an updated risk assessment. The move underscores the bloc’s coordinated approach to food safety in a sector that is both highly regulated and acutely sensitive to public confidence.
Infant nutrition is among the most tightly controlled food categories in Europe, yet the current episode shows how a single compromised ingredient can ripple through global supply chains and spark rapid market disruption. France’s revised limit is intended to minimize risk while investigations and product withdrawals continue.
Investigations and legal pressure
French investigators said on Jan. 23 they are examining whether there is any link between the death of two infants and recalled formula products. No conclusions have been announced.
Consumer group foodwatch said Thursday it filed a criminal complaint in Paris on behalf of eight families whose babies allegedly fell ill after consuming contaminated infant formula. The group alleges companies waited too long to warn the public amid the unfolding recalls.
Supply chain under scrutiny
The recalls have highlighted the concentration of key inputs in infant formula manufacturing and the challenges of tracing ingredients across complex networks of global suppliers. Even with stringent controls, authorities say, contaminants identified at a single site can quickly cascade through multiple brands and markets.
France’s swift adjustment to the cereulide threshold signals a heightened regulatory posture as European agencies and national authorities work to isolate affected batches and restore consumer confidence. Companies named in the recalls have not been accused of wrongdoing by French authorities, but they face intensifying pressure to demonstrate rigorous oversight of suppliers and transparent communications with consumers.
Further guidance from EFSA is expected to clarify risk benchmarks and inform subsequent national measures. In the meantime, France’s lower limit takes immediate effect, setting a stricter benchmark for testing and compliance in one of the most sensitive corners of the food market.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
