Baby milk toxin risk 'low' after recalls

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ROME - Widespread recalls of powdered milk for infants mean the risk of exposure to a toxin that can cause nausea and diarrhoea are now low, two EU agencies said on Thursday.

"Given the large-scale recalls, the current likelihood of exposure to contaminated infant formula is low," the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in a statement.

But they said that "additional cases may still occur if recalled products remain in households rather than being returned".

Several manufacturers, including European giants like Nestle, Danone and Lactalis, have issued recalls of infant formula that could be contaminated with cereulide in more than 60 countries since December.

French authorities said last week they were aware of three deaths of infants who consumed powdered milk affected by the recalls, and 14 hospitalisations.

But investigations are still underway and as yet no link has been established between the formula and the babies' health, the health ministry said.

The EU agencies said that a total of seven countries in Europe had reported cases of babies with gastrointestinal symptoms following consumption of powdered milk.

The statement said cereulide had first been detected in December in batches of formula containing arachidonic acid oil from a producer in China.

The EFSA earlier said its scientists had suggested a maximum level for cereulide of 0.014 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.

This translated to 0.054 micrograms of cereulide per litre in infant formula, the Italy-based agency said.