CONTAMINATED PIZZAS. Buitoni pizzas contaminated with E.coli bacteria have led to very serious poisonings in children. Deaths have been confirmed. Vouchers were sent to the consumers concerned and by mistake to the parents of an infected and hospitalized little girl. Latest info.
[Mise à jour le 27 avril 2022 à 09h36] On March 18, 2022, the brand Buitoni (Nestlé group) has decided to recall all its Fraich’Up pizzas marketed since June 2021 due to contamination by Escherichia Coli bacteria. The consumption of these pizzas has led to very severe poisoning in children (haemolytic-uremic syndrome) –whose two died– and an adult. In his last update of April 13, Public Health France confirmed 53 cases of HUS. These 53 cases occurred in 52 children and 1 adult, who presented symptoms between January 18 and March 16. The Buitoni factory in Caudry (North) where the pizzas were produced has been closed since the beginning of April. Buitoni sent 20 euro vouchers to consumers affected by the purchase of the withdrawn products and mistakenly to the family of a little girl who was infected and hospitalized (out of danger). “It shouldn’t have been done and we would like to offer our most sincere apologies to this consumer who may have been offended by receipt of these vouchers“, told AFP a spokesman for Buitoni. “We will make sure this does not happen again“, he added. The family had made a report on the public service site SignalConso. The customer service personasked me to relate everything that may have happened concerning my daughter and if, for the purposes of the investigation, it was possible toaccess their medical records in the next few days“, explained the mother of the child. “Find the pretext of compensation to request information, we find it quite scandalous“, reacted the lawyer Me Richard Legrand, who represents this family. What are the pizzas concerned? What to do if we have any at home? Can we be refunded ? What is the E.coli bacteria?
How many people have been contaminated by Buitoni pizzas?
In its update of April 13, Public Health France confirmed 53 cases of HUS. These 53 cases occurred in 52 children and 1 adult, who presented symptoms between January 18 and March 16. the epidemic peak is in week 7 (14/02 to 20/02) and in week 9 (28/02 to 06/03), with 10 cases each of these weeks. These 53 cases occurred in 12 regions of France metropolitan:
- Hauts-de-France: 11 cases
- Ile-de-France: 9 cases
- New Aquitaine: 8 cases
- Pays de la Loire: 7 cases
- Brittany: 6 cases
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: 1 case
- Great East: 2 cases
- Occitania: 2 cases
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: 2 cases
- Center Val-de-Loire: 2 cases
- Normandy: 1 case
The 52 sick children are aged 1 to 17 years old with a median age of 7 years ; 23 (44%) are female; 46 (88%) presented with HUS, 6 (12%) with STEC gastroenteritis. Two children died. The adult did not present with HUS.
How many people have died after eating Buitoni pizzas?
According to Public Health France, two children died haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after consuming the affected pizzas. It’s about a infectious complication most often of food origin rare in France but severe. We talk about a syndromeHemolytic” because it means that there is “a destruction of red blood cells” (responsible for anemia and a drop in platelets) and “uremic“because there isblood urea. Urea is a waste product from the body eliminated by the kidneys in the urine. Increased blood urea and other waste products such as creatinine indicate kidney failure.
When did the Buitoni scandal start?
In January 2022, several cases of pediatric haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) and serious Escherichia coli infection have been reported to the French health authorities.
► February 24, the Ministry of Health reports 13 cases of HUS in childrenrelated to Escherichia coli bacteria with similar characteristics. the first death is announced. The marque Buitoni is not yet cited. Several sources of contamination are being investigated, including the ingestion of contaminated food eaten raw or undercooked.
► March 11, the ministry confirmed 26 cases of HUS having the same characteristics as those of February. A second child death is confirmed. No source of contamination has yet been incriminated.
► March 1727 cases of HUS are confirmed.
► March 18, Buitoni recalls all its Fraîch’Up frozen pizzas “after being informed of the presence of E-coli bacteria in the dough of a frozen pizza” of this range.
► March 22 and 29: two hygiene inspections take place in the Caudry factory where the contaminated pizzas are produced by the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP) in the North and the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF),
“When you see mushrooms on the wall, you know it’s not okay”
► March 30, Public Health France “confirm a link between several cases and the consumption of frozen pizzas from the Fraîch’Up range of the Buitoni brand contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli bacteria”. 41 cases of HUS are identified.
► March 31, RMC unveils shocking images of the Buitoni factory of Caudry. It was a former factory employee who sent these images showing deplorable hygienic conditions: “When you see fungus on the wall, you know it’s wrong. The paint on the metal bars was peeling off. There were scraps of food that remained in certain places for several days, Several weeks. In sauce recovery bins, you could find cigarette butts. Where the flour is sent to the mats, so that the dough does not stick, there were mealworms.” he told our colleagues. Buitoni (Nestlé group) admitted that these photos were indeed taken in the factory but that it is not “never so dirty” usually. Nestlé has confirmed that the tests it carries out itself in its Caudry factory are negative.
Discover the images of the Buitoni factory in Caudry (Nord) where the pizzas of the Fraich’Up range are produced, accused by the health authorities of being the cause of the E.Coli bacteria poisoning of dozens of people. children and the death of two of them. pic.twitter.com/1pplkImmFP
— RMC (@RMCinfo) March 31, 2022
► April 6, the Nord prefecture publishes a decree prohibiting the production of pizzas in the Caudry factory. Public Health France confirms 50 cases of HUS.
► April 8, opening of an investigation for “manslaughter”, “deception” and “endangering others” against Buitoni.
► April 13: search of the Buitoni factory in Caudry and at Nestlé headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineauxin the Hauts-de-Seine.
Which Buitoni pizzas should not be eaten?
Buitoni recalls all pizzas from the Fraîch’Up range, branded Buitonimarketed. For example :
- Fresh’Up 4 cheeses
- Fresh’Up Royale
- Fresh’Up Chicken
- Fresh’Up Bolognese
- Fraîch’Up White Queen
- Fraîch’Up 3 meats
What bacteria is found in Buitoni pizzas?
It is Escherichia Coli or “E.coli”, a bacteria found in the gut of humans and some animals especially ruminants. When they are in the intestine, the majority of its strains are harmless and cause no symptoms. Some, however, are pathogens. Eliminated through the feces of animals, they can contaminate the environment (water, manure, soil) and foods. They tolerate the cold well (survival of several days in a refrigerator) but normally not cooking.
Investigation of grouped cases of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) and shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections linked to the consumption of Buitoni® brand Fraîch’Up pizzas – Santé Publique France – April 13, 2022 .
Serious cases of haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in children: new cases reported, health authorities remind you of what to do. March 30, 2022. Public Health France.
Ministry of Health press releases.