Lactalis, the biggest dairy company in France, has recalled over 7,000 tons of baby formula and powdered milk products across 80 countries, reports the New York Times. The recalls, which were implemented over the course of several weeks, amounted to one of the biggest such recalls in history. At least 38 children were sickened by salmonella found in the recalled products.
The outbreak was due in part to insufficient reporting and oversight at the company’s various factories. In France, companies are allowed to self-report issues to regulators. And food-safety inspections aren’t necessarily comprehensive. The Lactalis plant where the outbreak originated had been inspected in September, but it only covered one area of the factory, and not the one that handled baby formula.
Other countries in the European Union have different standards, but regulators from outside France didn’t get involved in this case. “The European Union operates as a single market, meaning that tainted products in one country can make their way through Europe and the rest of the world,” said the Times.
In the past six months, Lactalis has bought Stonyfield Farms (from Danone) and the yogurt company Siggi’s. The company also makes cheese products and cereals. In 2015, it had over $18 billion in sales.