Lactalis Nutrition Sante voluntarily recalled six batches of its Picot infant milk powder on January 21, 2026. Cereulide was found in an ARA-oil ingredient from an international supplier used in the formula.
The recall reached 18 countries, including France, alongside similar recalls by Nestle and Danone over the same supplier ingredient. Affected products are PICOT Standard 1st- and 2nd-age 850-gram tins, identified by specific lot number and best-before date.
Cereulide can cause vomiting, diarrhea and, in infants, dehydration, though European health authorities now call the exposure risk low. Rappel Conso, France’s recall register, still lists the Picot recall as open.
- Action type: Voluntary recall
- Announcement and initiation dates: Announced and initiated January 21, 2026
- Company and responsible agency: Lactalis Nutrition Sante; Rappel Conso / DGCCRF, the responsible agency
- Recall or campaign number: Not stated in the notice
- Affected models, lots, UPCs, serial numbers, or VINs: PICOT Standard 1st-age 850g (lot 8000003298) and 2nd-age 850g (lot 8000003281); other Picot lots are safe
- Number of affected units: Not published; the notice states a sale period and retailer list
- Sold at and sale period: France, major retailers, January 29, 2025-January 21, 2026 (price not stated); 18 countries
- Hazard: Possible cereulide toxin in an ARA-oil ingredient; risk of vomiting and diarrhea
- Reported incidents, injuries, illnesses, and deaths: UK: 36+ cases reported; France reviewing 3 infant deaths, no causal link established
- Remedy: Do not use; contact Lactalis; destroy the product; compensation details on Lactalis’s recall page
Table Of Contents
- Latest Lactalis Baby Formula Recall Updates
- February 19, 2026: EU Agencies Say Exposure Risk Is Now Low
- February 13, 2026: Paris Prosecutor Opens Investigations
- February 11, 2026: Health Ministry Reviews Three Reported Infant Deaths
- February 2, 2026: EFSA Sets a Cereulide Threshold
- January 30, 2026: France Lowers Its Regulatory Threshold
- January 29, 2026: Foodwatch Files a Criminal Complaint
- January 21, 2026: Lactalis Recalls Six Picot Batches
- What Is Cereulide?
- Which Lactalis Baby Formula Products Are Affected?
- Why Was Lactalis Baby Formula Recalled?
- Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
- What Should Consumers Do?
- Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions
- Legal Options
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Which Countries Are Affected by the Lactalis Baby Formula Recall?
- What Are the Symptoms of Cereulide Poisoning?
- Is There a Lactalis Baby Formula Recall Lawsuit?
- Does the Recall Mean Lactalis Is Liable for My Child’s Illness?
- Is the Lactalis Baby Formula Recall Still Active?
- Did Other Baby Formula Brands Get Recalled Too?
- References
Latest Lactalis Baby Formula Recall Updates
February 19, 2026: EU Agencies Say Exposure Risk Is Now Low
The ECDC and EFSA published a Rapid Outbreak Assessment on February 19, 2026, finding cereulide exposure risk now low after recalls by Nestle, Danone and Lactalis [1].
Most affected infants across the three recalls have had only mild stomach symptoms, the agencies said. National health authorities in several countries continue to investigate, including France’s ongoing review of three reported infant deaths.
February 13, 2026: Paris Prosecutor Opens Investigations
The Paris public prosecutor‘s public-health division opened a preliminary probe on February 13, 2026, CNBC reported [2]. The probe covers five infant-formula makers, including Lactalis, over deception about products dangerous to health.
The offense carries up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to EUR3.75 million. A Lactalis spokesperson called food safety its absolute priority.
February 11, 2026: Health Ministry Reviews Three Reported Infant Deaths
The French health ministry said on February 11, 2026, that it was reviewing three reported infant deaths. In each case, consumption of recalled formula had been reported before the child died.
It said no causal link had been established between the deaths and the recalled formula. Judicial investigations were continuing, CNBC reported, with no findings announced yet.
February 2, 2026: EFSA Sets a Cereulide Threshold
The European Food Safety Authority set a new safety threshold for cereulide on February 2, 2026, CNBC reported. The acute reference dose is 0.014 micrograms per kilogram of body weight for infants.
EFSA said the dose reflects the added risk to neonates and infants under six months. That group is most likely to develop severe illness from cereulide exposure in infant formula.
January 30, 2026: France Lowers Its Regulatory Threshold
The French Ministry of Agriculture said on January 30, 2026, that it lowered the country’s regulatory threshold for cereulide in infant formula sold in France, nine days after Lactalis’s recall of the affected batches [3].
The ministry framed the change as part of a broader effort to strengthen France’s health-safety oversight of infant-nutrition products nationwide, shortly before EFSA set its own infant threshold.
January 29, 2026: Foodwatch Files a Criminal Complaint
Consumer-protection group Foodwatch International filed a criminal complaint in Paris on January 29, 2026, on behalf of eight families [4]. The complaint alleges offenses including endangering others’ lives, deception and failure to properly execute a recall.
Foodwatch said more families have since asked to join the complaint against Lactalis and the other companies named in it, weeks after it was filed.
January 21, 2026: Lactalis Recalls Six Picot Batches
Lactalis Nutrition Sante said on January 21, 2026, that it was voluntarily recalling six batches of Picot brand infant milk, Reuters reported [5]. Cereulide had been found in an ARA-oil ingredient sourced from a supplier.
A company spokesperson said the recall covered 18 countries, including France, Spain, Greece, Mexico and China, following a similar Nestle recall days earlier at the same supplier.
What Is Cereulide?
Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus, according to a risk assessment published in the EFSA Journal [6]. In this recall, cereulide reached Picot formula through a supplier ingredient.
Which Lactalis Baby Formula Products Are Affected?
Rappel Conso, France’s official product-recall register, lists two Picot infant-formula products by lot number and best-before date in its published notice. Check the lot number printed on your tin against the list below:
- PICOT Standard 1st-age, 850-gram box, GTIN 3551102095564, lot 8000003298, best-before date February 20, 2027
- PICOT Standard 2nd-age, 850-gram box, GTIN 3551102095571, lot 8000003281, best-before date January 29, 2027
All other Picot products and lot numbers are safe to use, the notice states. Affected tins were sold from January 2025 to January 2026.
Rappel Conso published the notice as part of Lactalis’s wider international recall covering the same two lots, effective immediately across affected markets.
Why Was Lactalis Baby Formula Recalled?
Lactalis Baby Formula was recalled because of cereulide. This toxin, made by the bacterium Bacillus cereus, was potentially present in an omega-6 ARA-oil ingredient used in the Picot formula.
The ARA-oil ingredient came from an unnamed international supplier, and the French professional association for infant nutrition first raised the alert. Rappel Conso, the French recall register, describes the action as a voluntary recall (rappel volontaire).
The same ARA-oil supplier ingredient also implicated Nestle and Danone, which recalled their own infant formula separately over the same contamination. Lactalis’s recall began January 21, 2026, days after Nestle’s own recall over the same ingredient.
Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
UK authorities said in early February 2026 that they had received at least 36 clinical reports. The reports involve infants showing symptoms consistent with cereulide poisoning.
These reports cover the wider recall across Nestle, Danone and Lactalis products. The same contaminated ingredient reached several manufacturers beyond Picot.
As the February 11 update above states, the health ministry is separately reviewing three reported infant deaths. No causal link has been established, and judicial investigations are continuing.
The ECDC and EFSA found most affected infants had only mild symptoms. They said further exposure risk is now low, though reports alone do not prove causation.
What Should Consumers Do?
Parents and caregivers who have one of the affected Picot lots at home should take the following steps:
- Check the lot number and best-before date on the tin against the notice
- Stop feeding the affected formula to your infant immediately
- Do not use, sell or donate the recalled tins
- Contact Lactalis’s consumer service at 0805 80 59 50 or www.picot.fr for compensation details
- Report a concern to Rappel Conso, the agency for this recall
- Destroy the product once confirmed, or return it as the notice describes
- Watch for vomiting, diarrhea or unusual fussiness in your infant
- Contact a pediatrician or emergency services if symptoms are persistent or severe
Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions
The 2026 cereulide contamination also led Nestle to recall infant formula in nearly 60 countries, and Danone’s recall notice covers Aptamil and Cow & Gate batches in Ireland and the UK [7].
See our Danone infant formula recall page for details. The 2026 cereulide recall is separate from Lactalis’s earlier 2017-2018 Salmonella recall of Picot, Pepti Junior and Milumel Bio products, per the French Ministry of Economy and Finance [8].
French regulators stepped in on that earlier recall after the company was slow to act. Our baby formula recall lawsuit hub tracks every brand involved.
Legal Options
Foodwatch International’s complaint and the Paris prosecutor’s probe both target five companies, including Lactalis. No US lawsuit, class action or MDL has been filed over the 2026 Lactalis recall.
A recall or a probe does not automatically prove liability. Families who believe a child was harmed by the recalled Picot formula may want a lawyer to review the case.
Filing Deadlines
Deadlines for bringing a legal claim are set by law. They vary with where a family lives and when the illness or diagnosis occurred. Some places start the clock at diagnosis, not at the date of exposure.
A missed deadline can bar an otherwise strong claim from being heard at all. Anyone weighing legal options should speak with a lawyer promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Countries Are Affected by the Lactalis Baby Formula Recall?
The Lactalis baby formula recall affected 18 countries, as detailed in the box above. Nestle’s separate cereulide recall reached nearly 60 countries, and Danone recalled specific batches too, all traced to the same ARA-oil supplier ingredient.
What Are the Symptoms of Cereulide Poisoning?
The symptoms of cereulide poisoning include sudden nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. These start 30 minutes to six hours after eating the contaminated formula. In infants it can disturb the body’s salt balance and lead to dehydration, so severe symptoms need prompt medical attention.
Is There a Lactalis Baby Formula Recall Lawsuit?
No Lactalis baby formula recall lawsuit has been filed in the United States. France has seen legal action instead. Foodwatch’s January complaint against Lactalis led the Paris public prosecutor to open a preliminary probe into five companies the following month.
Does the Recall Mean Lactalis Is Liable for My Child’s Illness?
The recall does not automatically mean Lactalis is liable for a child’s illness. Liability depends on specific facts: which Picot lot was consumed, when, and whether a doctor documented symptoms consistent with cereulide poisoning. A lawyer can review those Picot purchase and medical records.
Is the Lactalis Baby Formula Recall Still Active?
The Lactalis baby formula recall is still active. As of the most recent check on September 23, 2026, Rappel Conso showed no termination or closure notice. The February 19 EU assessment lowered the assessed exposure risk without closing the recall.
Did Other Baby Formula Brands Get Recalled Too?
Other baby formula brands were recalled too: Nestle and Danone also pulled infant formula over cereulide from the same ARA-oil supplier. Nestle recalled first, days before Lactalis’s January 21 recall, followed by Danone’s own Aptamil and Cow & Gate recall.
References
- https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/lower-risk-exposure-cereulide-following-continued-recall-infant-formula-products-across
- https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/16/baby-formula-nestle-danone-probe-aptamil-sma.html
- https://agriculture.gouv.fr/point-de-situation-autour-des-retraits-rappels-volontaires-des-laits-infantiles-nestle-et-lactalis
- https://www.foodwatch.org/fr/communiques-de-presse/2026/laits-infantiles-ouverture-dune-enquete-judiciaire-suite-a-la-plainte-de-foodwatch
- https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/frances-lactalis-recalls-batches-baby-milk-france-2026-01-21/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12871449/
- https://www.danone.com/newsroom/press-releases/recall-specific-infant-formula-batches.html
- https://www.economie.gouv.fr/rappels-produits-lactalis