French authorities have opened criminal investigations into the deaths of two infants who consumed baby formula produced by Nestlé, following a recent global recall over suspected contamination.
Prosecutors launched the first investigation in Bordeaux after a newborn died on January 8. The infant had consumed Guigoz brand formula between January 5 and 7, officials said.
Guigoz, a Nestlé-owned brand, initiated a worldwide recall earlier this month after internal testing detected Bacillus cereus. The bacterium can produce cereulide, a toxin known to cause rapid food poisoning in infants.
2 babies dead after drinking recalled Nestlé infant formula, French authorities investigating https://t.co/qTDKpPZmls pic.twitter.com/qdxmTdseGd
— Mothership (@MothershipSG) January 24, 2026Health authorities say cereulide can trigger symptoms within 30 minutes to six hours of ingestion. These include vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, the toxin can damage the liver or affect the nervous system. Boiling does not destroy the toxin.
A second investigation is underway in Angers, where a 27-day-old infant died in December. Prosecutors said the child’s mother had used the same recalled formula.
Angers prosecutor Eric Bouillard stressed that investigators have not yet established a direct causal link between the deaths and the formula. He described the contamination as a “serious lead” but said it remains too early to draw conclusions.
Après Nestlé, Lactalis annonce un vaste rappel de lait infantile contaminé dans 17 pays
➡️ https://t.co/ksS8lxJ86L pic.twitter.com/KGTVbWO6xM
— FRANCE 24 Français (@France24_fr) January 22, 2026Nestlé said it launched a “preventive and voluntary” global recall of selected batches of SMA, Guigoz, and Nidal infant formulas. The company stated that infant safety remains its “absolute priority.”
According to French health authorities, the contamination traced back to a single raw material supplier. Officials in both France and the United Kingdom issued warnings about the risks linked to cereulide exposure in infants.
Investigators continue to examine medical records, production data, and supply chains to determine whether the recalled products directly contributed to the deaths.
