The National Assembly's "flash" mission on contaminated infant milk will begin its work on Tuesday, all behind closed doors, with hearings from associations and representatives of families, according to the schedule published on the website of the lower house of Parliament.
The objective of this mission created by the Social Affairs committee is to assess "the responsibility of multinationals" and "the strategy of the State" for conclusions delivered by June, MP Mathilde Hignet (LFI-NFP), who will be co-rapporteur with Michel Lauzzana (Renaissance), told AFP in early March.
The first hearing, on Tuesday afternoon, will be devoted to associations and representatives of families (foodwatch, Familles rurales, Intox'alim, association for children's health).
Representatives from the State – Directorates General of Health (DGS) and of Food (DGAL) –, the Health Security Agency (Anses) and the French Society of Pediatrics will follow on Wednesday, then, on Thursday, health and food safety experts from the European Commission.
The manufacturers will be questioned on March 31, with Nestlé, Danone, Lactalis, Vitagermine, and Popote already confirmed. A representative from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be heard later that same day.
Several regional health agencies (ARS) as well as departmental directorates for the protection of populations are also expected to explain themselves during two round tables on April 2.
The mission will therefore study the merits of several accusations made against the State and industrialists by families and associations.
The infant formula affair began with Nestlé recalling dozens of batches in some sixty countries because of the potential presence of cereulide, a toxin that can cause dangerous vomiting in a newborn.
Then, it escalated with a cascade of similar recalls by manufacturers like Danone and Lactalis, but also by smaller players in this rapidly growing market. The common thread: an ingredient—an oil rich in arachidonic acid—supplied by the same Chinese subcontractor.
In France, health authorities are investigating two deaths of babies who consumed recalled milk – in a third fatal case, the milk was ruled out in early March – but no causal link has been established at this time.
However, cereulide was indeed detected in the stool of a baby hospitalized in France.
The case has also taken a legal turn, with complaints from associations and investigations opened by the public prosecutor's office concerning the deaths of infants.
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