“In the name of the precautionary principle”, the brand of frozen pizzas Buitoni announced on Friday the immediate recall of all of the Fraîch’up range (16 references) after being informed of the presence of Escherichia coli bacteria in the dough of a product.
Also, the Nestlé group brand asks consumers who bought Fraîch’up frozen pizzas before March 18, 2022 not to eat them and to throw away the products. “The public authorities are investigating the resurgence of cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) linked to E. coli to understand its origin,” said Pierre-Alexandre Teulié, general manager in charge of communications at Nestlé France. The entire French territory is affected by the withdrawal, said the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF).
Symptoms within 3-4 days after consumption
The health authorities indicated on Friday evening that “the analyzes (epidemiological, microbiological and traceability) carried out suggest, at this stage, a possible link with the consumption of frozen pizzas from the Fraîch’Up range of the Buitoni brand”. “Investigations are continuing to determine the origin of the contamination, including for other products, as well as epidemiological investigations, in order to establish potential links with all the cases detected in the territory since the beginning of January 2022, according to the joint press release from the Directorate General of Health (DGS), Public Health France and the DGCCRF.
People who, within 3-4 days after consuming these pizzas (10 days maximum) “show diarrhea, abdominal pain or vomiting, are invited to consult their doctor quickly, notifying him of this consumption and a reminder of the products by the company and to retain the product packaging. In the absence of symptoms, there is no need to worry”, according to the Directorate General of Health.
A resurgence of cases since the beginning of the year
As of March 17, 27 cases of HUS or serious infection, linked to E. coli bacteria with similar characteristics, had been identified, “and 31 additional cases are under investigation”. “The sick children, aged 1 to 18 years with a median age of 5.5 years, presented symptoms between 10/01/2022 and 10/03/2022. Two children died “, he is reminded. The first Suspicious death had been reported at the end of February. Each year, approximately 160 children with HUS are notified to Public health France which has set up a surveillance system (nephro-paediatrics services) for this disease since 1996.
“These 58 cases occurred in 12 regions of metropolitan France: Hauts-de-France (13 cases), New Aquitaine (9 cases), Pays de la Loire (9 cases), Brittany (6 cases), Ile-de-France (6 cases), Grand Est (5 cases), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (3 cases), Bourgogne Franche-Comté (2 cases), Center Val-de-Loire (2 cases) Normandy (1 case), Occitanie (1 case) and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (1 case)”, details the press release.
A pizza in the oven would no longer present a danger
The DGS told AFP that the strains detected in a Buitoni Fraîch’Up pizza were E. coli bacteria that produce shigatoxins (E. Coli STEC), for which there are no regulatory safety criteria but for which a criterion “opposable to professionals” is “routinely applied by professionals and services of the Directorate General for Food”
“One of the characteristics of frozen pizzas is that Escherichia coli disappear with heat, a pizza placed in the oven no longer presents any danger if it is consumed”, according to general manager in charge of communication of Nestlé France.
Provided with a photo of the packaging with the product references (use-by date, barcode number, batch number, production time), consumers can call the telephone number provided by the company to get a refund: 0800 22 32 4.