A small epidemic on a European scale. If France is hit by a wave of recalls of contaminated food products, those related to chocolate childish also applies beyond our borders. Cases of salmonellosis, linked to a “Belgian production facility”, have been identified in nine European countries: France, in other words, but also Germany, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden.
“As of April 8, 2022, 150 confirmed and probable cases of Salmonella Typhimurium monophasic,” the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) noted in a press release. The two agencies have identified “chocolate-based products manufactured by a company at its Belgian production site as the cause of the Salmonella outbreak”, they continue, without mentioning Ferrero, the Italian confectionery giant. .
Ferrero recognizes “internal errors”
Belgian justice has a research Monday to identify possible responsibilities within the Arlon factory, which has been closed for several days. On Friday, the Belgian food safety agency (Afsca) had withdrawn its production license, accusing it of lack of transparency about a incident in mid-December† At that time, “S. Typhimurium was found during its own checks in a buttermilk tank at the Belgian branch of the company in question”, confirm EFSA and ECDC.
Despite stricter controls and hygiene measures, contaminated chocolate products were distributed in Europe and United States, leading Ferrero to acknowledge “internal failures” on Friday. After the connection between Kinder products and salmonellosis cases was established in late March, recalls were launched in several European countries and the United States following a warning from UK authorities. All products from the Arlon plant are now affected, regardless of batch number or expiration date, Ferrero said.
Reimbursement in vouchers
In a press release published Tuesday evening, a few days before Easter, Ferrero France specified that the list of these products was available on the site https://www.ferrero.fr/actualites/† The company invites customers to contact on 0800 65 36 53, by email at [email protected] or on social networks, indicating that the consumer service will remain open during the Easter weekend. “The responsibility to compensate its consumers is one of the priorities,” said Ferrero, who offers vouchers.
Salmonellosis, caused by a bacteria called salmonella, causes symptoms similar to those of sometimes acute gastroenteritis: diarrhea and abdominal cramps, low-grade fever, even vomiting. No deaths have been reported at this stage. The 150 cases associated with Kinder were identified “mainly in children under the age of ten”.
