Frozen pizza blamed for deadly E coli infections sweeping France

Health authorities have established a link between a brand of frozen pizza and several serious cases of E coli bacteria contaminations in France. There has been a record number of infections since the end of February, with dozens of children who have fallen ill and two have died.

Petri dishes with E coli bacterial strains. France is seeing a record wave of infections, some of which have been connected with the consumption of a brand of frozen pizza. © Fabian Bimmer/Reuters

Analyses have confirmed a link between several cases of infection and the consumption of Fraîch'Up frozen pizzas from the Buitoni brand, which is owned by Nestlé. A recall has been underway for the pizzas for several weeks.

Since the end of February, France has recorded an unprecedented number of hemolytic-uremic syndromes (HUS), blood disorders and kidney problems that are caused by infections from the Escherichia coli, or E coli bacteria.

According to the French public health authority, 75 cases are being investigated, and children as young as one have been affected, across 12 regions of France. This is more than the last outbreak from 2011.

Two children have died, though a link has not been established between their illness and eating the Buitoni pizzas.

[#Alimentation] Cas graves de syndrome hémolytique et urémique (SHU) chez l’#enfant : nouveaux cas signalés en lien avec la consommation de pizzas surgelées de la gamme Fraîch’Up de marque Buitoni contaminées par des bactéries #Ecoli.
Conduites à tenir 👇 https://t.co/JT4KHnwftW pic.twitter.com/XTagYYop5I

— SantépubliqueFrance (@SantePubliqueFr) March 30, 2022

"Today we do not understand what could have happened, but we will develop a protocol of analysis and we will submit it to the authorities," Nestlé director-general Jérôme Jaton told a press conference on Wednesday.

The company closed two production lines since 18 March at its facility in Caudry, in the north of France, which produced between 100,000 and 150,000 pizzas per week.

Complications from E coli infections are rare, but can be serious, especially for young children. Anyone who has eaten the pizzas and experiences diarrhea, abdominal cramps or vomiting should consult a doctor within a week.

(with AFP)