Kinder products suspected of causing cases of salmonellosis in Europe have been recalled in recent days.
The Italian group Ferrero, which recalled Kinder chocolates this week due to a potential link with cases of salmonellosis, had already detected salmonella contamination in its products on December 15, he announced in a press release on Thursday.
“We have detected the presence of salmonella on the production line, either at the outlet of a filter of raw material product tankss”, explains Laurence Evrard, spokesperson for Ferrero Benelux. Production was also blocked that day and the products “have not been delivered” according to the company.
This first detection of salmonella was therefore made on December 15 as part of checks carried out on the Arlon site, assures the company. “We are now withdrawing products that were manufactured on that date, December 15”, explains the spokesperson. The group says it does not understand how the contaminated batches, produced a little before this date, ended up on the market. “We seek to understand and we work in collaboration with the Afsca”says Laurence Evrard.
Companies themselves control what they make
For its part, the Afsca specifies that its own analyzes are still in progress. Its spokesperson, Jean-Sébastien Walhin, reminds us of the rules in force: “Companies control what they manufacture themselves. Every day, they have to do it. It’s European regulations. Then the Afsca must be informed if a problem may affect, not only this company but also others. ‘other companies’.
As a reminder, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca) recalled several chocolate products from the Ferrero brand on Monday due to the presence of salmonella bacteria. The products in question were manufactured in the Ferrero factory in Arlon. According to the latest official report, 105 cases of salmonellosis have been linked to these products in the European Union and the United Kingdom. Ferrero says the matter is being investigated in conjunction with food safety authorities.
