Nestlé is seeking to resume operations at a factory in France that suffered an E. coli outbreak earlier this year.
Approval from French authorities is still pending, but if approved, the Caudry plant will restart in November.
A total of 56 E. coli cases and 2 deaths have been linked to Buitoni brand Fraîch’Up pizza. Most are caused by Escherichia coli O26 and two by Escherichia coli O103, according to the French public health agency Santé publique France.
Fraîch’Up pizza was recalled in March and the factory was shut down. A criminal investigation into the incident was launched in May.
People get sick between January and April, and many children develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure associated with E. coli infection that can lead to lifelong severe Health problems and death.
E. Escherichia coli found in flour
Nestlé stated that any All restarts will be coordinated with the authorities and will rely on factory personnel and specialized companies. The production of the Fraîch’Up series of pizzas is still suspended.
Over 2,000 samples were collected at Caudry including factory environment, raw materials, silos and finished products.
Analysis of flour samples and some finished products revealed the presence of E. coli. Tests on all production lines and environments detected no pathogens.
“Given these results, the most likely hypothesis is E. coli contamination in the flour, which we did not detect from the last wheat harvest. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to prevent this from happening again,” Nestle said.
“A series of measures” have been taken to prevent the emergence of E. coli. All finished products will be subject to local plus microbiological testing and other controls.
Victim and Whistleblower Testimony Fund
Early September, Nestlé A support fund was established for patients diagnosed with typical or atypical HUS in France between January 2022 and August 2022.
The purpose is to provide assistance to families of HUS patients in the form of a one-time stipend in 2022 to cover costs and lost income related to the disease. The fund is managed by the France Rein Association.
Nestlé said that if such a judgment is reached, it would not replace any compensation claims as part of an ongoing legal investigation.
Earlier this month, a survey by Radio France showed that cleaning times and preventive maintenance at the venue had decreased over several years, according to employees. They also claim that Buitoni will switch from using pasteurized flour for its Fraîch’Up range of dough to unheat-treated flour sometime in 2021.
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