Salmonella contamination of infant formula

The French public health agency identified an outbreak of Salmonella enterica serovar Agona associated with infant formula products manufactured by the Lactalis Nutrition Santé group in France. As of 21 December, 35 confirmed cases of Salmonella Agona infections among infants aged less than six months have been identified in different regions of France. Sixteen infants have been hospitalized but all have fully recovered and no deaths have been reported.

The outbreak is associated with consumption of 4 different brands of infant formula. On 10 December, Lactalis Nutrition Santé withdrew and recalled over 600 batches (more than 7000 tonnes) of implicated products manufactured from 15 February 2017 to present. The implicated products have been distributed internationally to more than 50 countries and territories, including 16 in the WHO European Region. French health authorities recommend parents who still have boxes corresponding to the recalled lots not to use them.

As of 15 December 2017, in the WHO European, the recalled infant formula products have been exported to the following 16 countries: Andorra, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo (1), Monaco, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

On 21 December 2017, Lactalis Group has conducted a new recall including all infant and nutritional products manufactured or packaged in the Craon plant since 15 February 2017. Efforts to trace the distribution of products included in this expanded recall are underway.

(1) For the purposes of this publication, all references, including in the bibliography, to "Kosovo” should be understood/read as “Kosovo (in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999))”