An 8-month-old girl died on February 5 in Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrollières, near Toulouse. The autopsy revealed no signs of violence or formal cause of death, but scientific analyses are ongoing to determine if ingested infant formula could be involved. This case is part of three deaths reported in France linked to recalled products, with no causality established yet.
On February 5, 2026, an 8-month-old girl died in Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrollières, in Haute-Garonne, near Toulouse. According to Toulouse's public prosecutor, David Charmatz, the examination of the body showed no signs of violence and did not identify a formal cause of death. 'Very numerous scientific analyses are therefore currently underway to establish the cause of this death' and will take several weeks, the magistrate stated in a press release.
Hypotheses under consideration include sudden infant death syndrome or a link to the ingestion of infant formula. However, the formula box used does not come from a recently recalled batch, Mr. Charmatz notes, cautioning against unnecessary panic.
This death occurs amid a scandal of infant formula recalls that began in mid-December 2025. Nestlé initiated the recalls of dozens of batches in about 60 countries due to potential presence of cereulide, a toxin that can cause dangerous vomiting in infants. Other manufacturers like Danone and Lactalis followed, affecting a growing market.
Early February 2026, European authorities lowered the tolerated thresholds for this toxin, triggering another wave of recalls. France's Health Ministry reported, as of February 11, 2026, three notifications of infant deaths involving consumption of affected formulas, plus 14 hospitalizations. 'To date, no scientific imputability has been established,' the ministry emphasizes, noting ongoing judicial inquiries.
A sanitary investigation is underway in France to assess whether these deaths are attributable to the ingested products. France is the only European country to report deaths in this context, while others, such as the United Kingdom, have noted hospitalizations without established links. Legal actions have been filed by the NGO Foodwatch and families against the state and manufacturers for alleged delays in recalls.
