The Afsca recalled several chocolate products from the Ferrero brand to consumers on Monday due to the presence of the salmonella bacterium. The products in question were manufactured in the Ferrero factory in Arlon.
Several countries have been affected in Europe. The first to give the alert was Ireland, according to Afsca spokesman Jean-Sébastien Walhin.
“We are in contact with the Ferrero company and we will hold a meeting at the end of the morning”, affirmed Mr. Walhin.
“We also have contacts with the other European health authorities within the RASFF, an alert system which signals problems relating to agri-food products in the European Union,” he explained.
The source of the contamination has not yet been defined, according to Afsca. “An investigation is underway. We took samples from the food,” Walhin said.
He also added that the company had never had any health problems during previous checks.
The products concerned are Kinder Surprise Maxi, Schoko Bons and Kinder Mini Eggs.
Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause salmonellosis, a common infection that can result in fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea within 6 to 72 hours of eating the infected food. Young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised people and the elderly are more likely to develop symptoms.
Consumers who have questions can contact the Afsca contact point via the online form or on the free number 0800/13.550.
Cases of infections are increasing in Europe
Sixty-three people, mostly young children, have been infected with salmonella in the UK following consuming Kinder Surprise eggs produced in Belgium. Several cases have also been reported elsewhere in Europe such as Ireland, France where 21 patients have been identified so far, but also in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. No fatal cases have been reported so far in Britain or elsewhere, but most cases of infection are in children under 5 years old. In France, the median age of patients is 4 years. A hundred cases have reportedly been identified so far on the continent.
