By Mauro Orru


French authorities filed charges against Nestle over an outbreak of food-borne disease linked to contaminated pizzas, a setback for the Swiss food giant as it now faces heightened scrutiny over safety practices and quality control.

The charges stem from the discovery of Escherichia coli, or E. coli, bacteria in some batches of Buitoni Fraich'Up raw dough pizza that in 2022 caused an outbreak of food-borne illnesses that killed two children and sickened dozens of people in France.

E. coli bacteria are found in foods, water and the intestines of people and animals, though they are generally harmless as they help humans digest food, produce vitamins and protect them from harmful germs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some bacteria can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis and other illnesses.

A Nestle spokesman said Friday that prosecutors had filed charges against Nestle France and Societe des Produits Alimentaires de Caudry, the subsidiary responsible for the plant where the contaminated pizzas were made. The charges are preliminary, meaning that an investigation is still underway and no judgment has been handed to the company.

"Nestle France intends to fully assume its responsibilities in this case," the company said. "We hope that these legal proceedings will help to fully clarify the circumstances of this dramatic event and bring some healing for the victims and their families."

In 2023, Nestle reached an agreement to compensate 63 victims and their families.

French authorities opened a criminal investigation into the group two years ago for involuntary manslaughter, deceitful practices and endangering others after they notified Nestle of a link between its Buitoni Fraich'Up pizzas and reports of E. coli infections dating back to the start of 2022.

Nestle recalled the products in France and in March 2022 halted production at a facility in Caudry, northern France, where Societe des Produits Alimentaires de Caudry oversaw operations.

The company then moved to shed the plant where the contaminated pizzas were made, citing the backlash that the Buitoni brand was facing as well as a highly competitive pizza market in Europe. Nestle finalized a deal to transfer the Caudry plant to Italpizza earlier this year.

While the group no longer has control over that facility, Nestle now faces heightened scrutiny from French authorities over food safety practices and quality control in its former production lines.

As proceedings get underway, Nestle said it would continue to fully cooperate with the investigators.


Write to Mauro Orru at mauro.orru@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-05-24 0710ET