Food safety standards are among the most stringent in the world—and rightly so. As a result, food manufacturers need to assure the public that their products are safe and that when there is a lapse in such a duty of care, they can put the problem right safely and immediately. Unfortunately, France’s Lactalis has seemingly failed on both counts.

Neil Hodge is a freelance business journalist and photographer based in Nottingham, United Kingdom. He writes on insurance and risk management, corporate governance, internal audit, compliance, and legal...