It comes as batches of formula made in Ireland and distributed to the UK and EU are recalled over the potential presence of a toxin
Both babies drank formula that has been recalled, the French health ministry said in a statement late on Thursday.
No causal link between the deaths and the affected products has been established at this point, health minister Stephanie Rist told BFM TV on Friday.
One of the babies drank Nestlé’s recalled Guigoz formula in early January, the prosecutor’s office in Bordeaux said.
Tests showed that the formula didn’t contain the Bacillus cereus bacteria, which was linked to the recall, though authorities are waiting for results for the toxin cereulide, as well as from the autopsy.
Prosecutors in Angers, in western France, are probing the death of a second baby who also drank the Nestlé formula, Agence France-Presse reported.
“As stated by the authorities, at this stage nothing indicates any link between these tragic events and the consumption of our products,” a Nestlé spokesperson said Friday. “We are following developments with due attention and remain fully available to the authorities, cooperating with complete transparency.”
Danone
It comes as batches of infant formula and follow-on formula made in Ireland and distributed to the UK and EU are being recalled because of the potential presence of the toxin.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has advised the Irish public that Danone is recalling specific batches of its formulas because of the potential presence of cereulide.
The implicated products were manufactured in Ireland, but the FSAI said it had been notified by Danone that none of the implicated products have been distributed in the country.
However, the products have been exported to a number of EU countries, the UK and third countries.
The FSAI has notified the European Commission of this recall.
An ingredient, ARA oil, which was manufactured in China, was contaminated with cereulide and added as an ingredient in base powder used to make infant formula and follow-on formula.
Cereulide is a toxin produced by some strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus, which can cause food poisoning.
This recall is associated with a contaminated raw ingredient which was also implicated in the recent recall of some batches of infant formula and follow-on formula by Nestle in its SMA product line earlier this month.
The FSAI and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine who regulate the Danone manufacturing facilities in Ireland, continue to engage with Danone to ensure that all food safety measures are being taken to protect consumers.
Danone said it “never compromises on food safety”.
In a statement, the company said: “In light of the current situation in the industry, some local food safety authorities are evolving their guidance.
“This is a targeted recall, mainly in Europe, of only a very limited number of specific batches of infant formula products.
“This does not impact any Danone products in the Irish market and our infant formula products can be purchased and used as normal.”
It added: “As a responsible manufacturer, and to comply with the latest guidance, we have voluntarily recalled an isolated batch of Aptamil First Infant Milk in the UK. This affects batch number/expiry 31-10-2026, which was on shelf in the UK for approximately two weeks in July 2025.”
It came after Nestlé earlier this month also recalled some batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on milk that were on Irish shelves, due to potential cereulide contamination.
Stock image: Getty
News in 90 seconds Saturday January 24
Belgium
In another development, authorities in Belgium reported late Friday that a baby had become sick in that country due to cereulide contamination, but had recovered fully after about 10 days.
Through stool samples, “we were able to confirm that the baby had become ill due to contamination with cereulide from a Nestlé milk product,” Joris Moonens, spokesperson for Flanders Department of Care, said in a statement.
Nestlé is aware of the Belgian case “potentially linked to our infant formula products,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “We are eager to engage with the authorities to get more information.”
The Swiss company has been the manufacturer most affected by the crisis thus far, with products pulled from shelves in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Concerns over tainted formula deepened in recent days as Danone and Lactalis also recalled products over potential contamination.
Danone said Friday it was pulling a “very limited number of specific batches” of infant formula in “targeted markets” concentrated in Europe following changing guidance from local food safety authorities.
That’s after the French company earlier this week removed one of its Dumex Dulac formula products from shelves in Singapore.
Lactalis has recalled six batches of Picot brand infant formula in France, an issue related to an international supplier that affects 18 countries including Spain.
Singapore’s food agency had previously recalled five Nestlé products after the Swiss food group disclosed that several brands, including BEBA, SMA and Alfamino, and multiple production sites had been affected by the discovery of cereulide in arachidonic acid oil, an ingredient from one of its suppliers.