VOA慢速英语2017--法国紧急召回部分婴儿奶粉

France Orders International Recall of Baby Food

France and a French food manufacturer have ordered a major international recall of several food products for babies.

The Lactalis Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of dairy products. It said French health officials warned the company that 26 babies had been sickened with salmonella since December 1.

The French Ministry¹ of the Economy ordered the suspension of marketing² and export of several baby products made at a Lactalis factory in Craon, France. It said all the products were manufactured after February 15, 2017.

The French health ministry’s website says the recall affects nine countries in four continents: Britain and Greece in Europe; Morocco and Sudan in Africa; Peru and Colombia in South America; and Pakistan, Bangladesh and China in Asia.

The United States, a major market for Lactalis products, is not affected³.

A company spokesman told the Associated Press Monday that the recall is "precautionary" and involves "several million" products.

Lactalis noted⁴ in a statement that the 26 cases of infection were linked to products with the brand names Picot SL, Pepti Junior 1, Milumel Bio 1 and Picot Riz.

The statement included an apology and expressed support to the families whose children were sickened. The company said it has taken measures to clean the area of the factory where the bacteria spread.

Infection with salmonella can cause sickness. Signs of infection include abdominal⁵ pain, diarrhea and higher than normal body temperature. The sickness is more dangerous among some populations, including the very young.

The Lactalis Group is a privately⁶ held company. Its headquarters is in western France. Lactalis has 75,000 employees in 85 countries and earnings⁷ of about 17 billion euros a year. Its famous brands include Président and Galbani cheeses, as well as Parmalat milk.

A full list of the products in question is available on the website of France’s consumer protection agency.

I’m Phil Dierking.

Words in This Story

recall -– n. a request by a company for people to return a product that has a defect or problem?

dairy – n. milk or food made from milk?

precautionary – adj. something that is done to prevent possible harm or trouble from happening in the future?

abdominal – adj. the part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach and other organs ?

brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name?

diarrhea – n. a sickness that causes you to pass waste from your body very frequently and in liquid rather than solid form?

consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 abdominal   

adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Abdominal tissues sometimes adhere after an operation.手术之后腹部有时会出现粘连。

6 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

7 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。