"Self-control is not enough" for industry, say parliamentarians

After four months of hearings, the parliamentary inquiry committee which examined
the Lactalis case after the salmonella contamination of 36 infants who had drunk milk produced in
the Craon plant, reports Wednesday. To avoid health problems in the food industry, "self-control is not enough," said Wednesday the president of the
commission of inquiry, Christian Hutin, questioned about
Europe 1.

It is necessary to "control the controllers, and control the controlled ones," badured the deputy of the North, explaining that this will be among the tracks that the commission will present in his report.

Verifying the independence of the laboratories of control

The commission will thus recommend to "touch the wallet" the industrialists who "will not respect a form of deontology and rigor on the self-controls", according to the deputy, which also evokes "a form of criminal responsibility

It will also be necessary to check the independence of the auditors, because "when a laboratory has 90% of its turnover which is linked to a single company", as was the case in the Lactalis case, " it may be a problem, "he said.

Creating a Single Authority for Food Security

Regarding the withdrawal / recall procedure that had proven to be inadequate During the Lactalis crisis, Christian Hutin discusses several avenues: "crash tests" as for banks, the use of bar codes and QR codes to facilitate blockages at the cash desk, and staff training. He also asks that one employee per store "be responsible for public health."

The MP also stated that the commission would ask that the state end the "police war" and create a single authority in the field of food security, denouncing a "Mexican army" with "three departments: Health, Bercy and Agriculture is not possible." A moment ago, "it must be very clear: a unique number, a unique site, a single decision," he said.

36 infants with salmonellosis

End 2017, 36 Infants were infected with salmonellosis after drinking infant milk from the Picot and Milumel brands produced at the Lactalis plant in Craon, Mayenne.

Contamination and boondoggles of the ensuing withdrawal / recall procedure resulted in place at the opening of a judicial inquiry. It also convinced the deputies to create a parliamentary commission of inquiry.

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