Source of contaminated baby milk lies with Chinese company from Wuhan
The source of the contamination of baby milk from Nestlé and other companies is its supplier Cabio Biotech, based in Wuhan, China. The first cases of COVID-19 infection were also detected in that city a few years ago. So far, there has been one confirmed case in Flanders of a baby who fell ill after drinking contaminated baby milk.
Cabio Biotech produces arachidonic acid oil, or ARA oil for short, a component of infant milk. It is produced by means of fungal fermentation. Cabio Biotech is one of the world's leading producers and reportedly supplies around 300 customers, including Nestlé and Danone, according to French media reports.
Several of these food producers have had to recall large batches of infant milk in recent weeks due to the possible presence of the toxin cereulide. The most common symptoms of cereulide contamination are vomiting and watery diarrhoea. The French authorities have launched an investigation into the deaths of two babies, which may be linked to the contaminated baby food.
So far, there has been one confirmed case in Flanders of a baby who fell ill after drinking contaminated Nestlé baby milk, but several parents have reported to the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC). The one child who certainly was affected is now doing well again.
Almost twenty years ago, another scandal broke out in China involving contaminated baby milk powder, in which several babies died and thousands developed kidney problems. However, that case involved a different company, which tampered with the ingredients of the baby milk powder for profit. The Chinese then lost confidence in Chinese brands and opted en masse for baby milk from Western producers.
Illustration © PHOTO GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP
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