On Friday, the food giant announced that it had been placed under investigation in connection with the Buitoni contaminated pizzas affair. Nestlé France and one of its subsidiaries were indicted this week in connection with the investigation into the scandal surrounding Buitoni pizzas contaminated with E. coli bacteria, suspected of causing the deaths of two children, the company said

The subsidiary operating the factory in Caudry (Nord), where the pizzas were produced, and Nestlé France were indicted “on 2 and 4 July respectively”, according to a company statement, without specifying the charges. A judicial investigation was opened in May 2022, notably for manslaughter, unintentional injury, placing on the market a product dangerous to health, and endangering others.

Resale of the Caudry plant

In February 2022, the health authorities were alerted to a resurgence of cases of kidney failure in children, linked to contamination by Escherichia coli. On 18 March 2022, Nestlé announced the withdrawal of pizzas from the Fraîch’Up range, marketed since June 2021, after being informed of the presence of the bacterium in the dough of one product.

On 30 March, the health authorities established a link between the consumption of these pizzas and several serious cases of contamination, prompting the Prefect of the Nord département to ban pizza production at the Caudry site two days later. The factory has since been sold by Nestlé to the Italian company Italpizza.Case of contaminated Buitoni pizzas: Nestlé France announces it is being investigated