‘My Baby Almost Died’: Formula Scandal Sends Shudders Through France
It would take three recalls and many weeks for the scope of the problem to finally become clear, stoking public outrage over what has become known in France as “L’Affaire Lactalis.” In one of the biggest recalls of its kind, the company has pulled more than 7,000 tons of potentially contaminated baby formula
and other powdered milk products across more than 80 countries, mostly in Europe, Africa and Asia.
In August, the company found traces of salmonella on a broom at the factory, Mr. Besnier said in one of the interviews.
On Thursday, Mr. Besnier acknowledged in the interview with Les Échos
that the bacteria in recent milk products was identical to a strain found in the factory in 2005, under a previous owner.
A couple weeks later, the company found more milk had been tainted and had to recall even more products.
His formula was tainted with salmonella — and a broad range of other Lactalis powdered milk products still on the shelves were at risk, too.
As part of a routine visit, the government inspected the factory in September, after the company had already discovered salmonella.