Khaberni - The French Ministry of Agriculture said on Saturday that the country has reduced the maximum allowed level of the toxic substance cerulide in infant milk, aiming to enhance protection measures after several major companies were ordered to withdraw products from markets around the world for fear of contamination.
Cerulide, which can cause nausea and vomiting, was discovered in ingredients supplied by a factory in China to many major infant milk producers, such as Nestle, Danone, and Lactalis, leading to product withdrawals in dozens of countries and raising concerns among parents.
The ministry stated in a press release that the new maximum will be 0.014 micrograms of cerulide per kilogram of body weight, compared to the current 0.03 micrograms per kilogram.
The ministry mentioned that this step follows an European Union meeting on January 28th and aligns with the updated guidelines from the European Food Safety Authority that will be issued on Monday.
The ministry added that the new and reduced maximum level of the substance will likely lead to more product withdrawals in France in the coming days.
French investigators said on January 23rd that they are investigating a connection between the deaths of two infants and withdrawn infant milk products.
The consumer protection organization Food Watch said on Thursday that it has filed a criminal complaint in Paris on behalf of eight families, claiming that their children fell ill after consuming contaminated infant milk, accusing the companies of waiting too long before warning the public.
