The association of families victims of milk contaminated with salmonella will set up a collective filing of individual complaints against the industrial Lactalis. The Minister of Agriculture, meanwhile, denied any state responsibility.
Two hundred children victims of milk contaminated with salmonella produced by Lactalis. This is the number of emails from parents received by Quentin Guillemain. He is president of the association of families victims of milk contaminated with salmonella. He receives new emails every day from parents reporting cases.
Thirty-six infants have been diagnosed as contaminated, 16 have been hospitalized, but this figure could increase according to Quentin Guillemain. The association will organize a “collective filing of individual complaints” against the group for “endangering the lives of others”.
Questioned by several media, Quentin Guillemain denounced “the indifference of the public authorities” and “the contradictions of the administration”.
Lactalis denies the claims of the Chained Duck
According to the article published in the Canard Enchaîné Wednesday, the Lactalis plant located in Craon in Mayenne has interrupted the manufacture of infant milk, in accordance with the prefectural decree of December, but not that of cereal boxes.
On Thursday, the company denied in a press release: “The Lactalis group confirms the shutdown of all milk and infant products production activities at the Craon plant since December 8, 2017”. “We are in very controlled activities and in a relationship of total transparency.”
A transparency that had been called into question in December by a former milk producer for Lactalis. Asked by Europe 1, he thought that internal analyzes being carried out regularly, Lactalis should know about the contamination. But, because of the not very dangerous strains of salmonella, he thought the management had “let it go”.
The Minister of Agriculture denies any failure of the State
The Chained Duck article also reveals that the group was aware of the presence of salmonella in the plant. Traces had been found during internal checks in August and November on cleaning equipment and on the tiles. However, checks were carried out in September by the veterinary services. Nothing had been detected.
The checks “were made on a site that does not correspond to the place where infant milk is produced, that’s why we found nothing,” said Minister of Agriculture Stéphane Travert Thursday on France Info.
The Minister dismissed all responsibility of the State: “The State was not faulty (…), we could not know”, he insisted.
The Lactalis group has a certain tradition of opacity. A judicial inquiry is underway.
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-1582817510.jpg "Babies regurgitate a worm after drinking… Gallia milk")
-1602585436.jpg "Breast milk would protect our brain")
