TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Lactalis, a leading French dairy company, announced a recall on Thursday (Jan. 22) of several batches of its infant formula products sold in Taiwan and other countries and several other countries due to concerns over toxin contamination. The company initiated the recall after discovering cereulide, a toxin that can cause diarrhea and vomiting, in the raw materials used to make its Picot infant formula.
Lactalis decided to proactively recall six batches of Picot infant formula, which is available in pharmacies and large retail stores. According to Reuters, the recall follows an alert issued by a professional association in France about the possible presence of cereulide in one ingredient, omega-6 ARA, used to produce some of its infant milk products. The recall affects countries outside of France, including Australia, Chile, China, Colombia, the Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Peru, Georgia, Greece, Kuwait, the Czech Republic, and Taiwan.
The company has disclosed the specific batch numbers involved in the recall, assuring consumers that other batches remain safe. However, Lactalis has not publicly named the international supplier of the contaminated raw materials. With the recall now underway, affected consumers in the listed countries are advised to check the batch numbers of any Picot infant formula they have purchased.