The media office of the Ministry of Public Health issued a statement explaining that “Minister Firas Al-Abyad wrote a letter to the Minister of Economy and Trade, Amin Salam, to withdraw the goods of the Ferrero company, which manufactures “Kinder” chocolate eggs, from the Lebanese market due to the receipt of a warning from the International Network of Food Safety Authorities (INFOSAN). In order to preserve public health, the Minister of Health sent a letter to the Ministry of Economy, which has the authority, to withdraw food products from the Lebanese market as quickly as possible, provided that a letter is sent to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Subsequently, as soon as the complete lists with the numbers of contaminated mixtures are received.”
In a statement issued by the Italian company, Ferrero, which is classified as one of the giant companies in the food industry, acknowledged the existence of “internal loopholes” and suspended the work of its factory that produces “Kinder” chocolate in Arlon, Belgium, following its products were suspected of causing salmonella infections. As a result, Kinder chocolate products were withdrawn from the markets of the United States and many European and Arab countries.