Ferrero recall: Reason for salmonella outbreak is clear
Created: 04/23/2022, 06:12
By: Alina Schroeder, Sarah Neumeyer
Ferrero is launching an international recall of surprise eggs and other children's candies.
EU authorities have probably found the cause in the Belgian plant.
Just before Easter, Ferrero launched a major recall on several sweets that are particularly popular with children.
The reason for this are several salmonella cases, which have already had to hospitalize some children.
According to the EU authorities, the reason for the spread of salmonella is buttermilk, which was used in the Belgian Ferrero plant.
Update from Wednesday, April 13th, 2022, 3 p.m.:
According to EU authorities, the reason for the spread of salmonella in Ferrero confectionery lies in buttermilk, which was used for production in the Ferrero plant in Belgium.
This was announced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on Tuesday on its website.
According to this, salmonella was found in buttermilk tanks during checks at the plant in Arlon, Belgium in December 2021.
According to the EFSA, the factory took appropriate hygiene measures at the time, and another salmonella test was negative.
According to EFSA, one reason for the spread of salmonella in Ferrero products could be that contaminated materials were processed.
EFSA and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said they would continue to investigate the case.
Internationally, numerous children's products from Ferrero are currently being recalled.
The company explains why.
© Manuel Geisser/Imago
Ferrero recall extended: "Impacts can be serious"
Update from Tuesday, April 12th, 2022, 12:39 p.m .:
Shortly before Easter, the confectionery manufacturer Ferrero is recalling numerous products in several countries due to the possible risk of salmonella.
Previously, hundreds of salmonella cases across Europe had been linked to sweets produced in Arlon, Belgium, including the popular surprise eggs and Kinder Schoko-Bons.
Numerous Ferrero products are now also being recalled in New Zealand.
"We know these products, which include small toys, are particularly popular with children, so we urge people to take every precaution," said Vincent Arbuckle, Deputy Director General of New Zealand Food Safety.
"The effects of Salmonella infection can be serious, particularly in children under the age of five, adults over the age of 65 and people with compromised immune systems," Arbuckle said.
So far, however, no case of illness in connection with children's products has been reported in New Zealand.
A mother from Great Britain reported that her three-year-old daughter was severely poisoned with salmonella.
Surprise eggs and Co. in the recall: Public prosecutors are now investigating against Ferrero
Update from Monday, April 11th, 2022, 3:46 p.m .:
The Belgian public prosecutor’s office is investigating a salmonella outbreak at the confectionery giant Ferrero against the company.
The investigation is linked to a factory in Arlon that Ferrero had to close last week on orders from the authorities, the Belga news agency and other media reported on Monday, citing the public prosecutor's office in the Belgian province of Luxembourg.
Hundreds of salmonella cases across Europe had previously been linked to sweets produced there.
On Friday, the Afsca supervisory authority temporarily revoked Ferrero's production license for the Arlon plant until all food safety rules and requirements are met.
In addition, all "kids" chocolate products made in Arlon have been withdrawn.
Ferrero previously announced that salmonella had been detected at the plant as early as December 15, 2021.
Surprise eggs and Co. in recall – investigations against Ferrero started
Update from Saturday, April 9th, 2022, 7.45 a.m .:
Due to salmonella cases in several countries, Ferrero has to close a factory in Belgium for the time being – in the middle of the Easter business.
The Afsca supervisory authority announced that it would revoke the production license for the factory as a result of investigations.
According to Afsca's announcement, all Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Surprise Maxi and Schoko-Bons made in Arlon are affected.
The product Kinder Mix Easter Gift Bag, which was offered in some German test stores, is also affected by the recall.
Apparently Ferrero had known about the problem for several months.
However , the consumer organization Foodwatch has
criticized Ferrero severely.
"If such a mistake happens, the population must be warned immediately," said Andreas Winkler from Foodwatch on Friday (April 8th, 2022).
In his opinion, personal responsibility and self-monitoring by the manufacturers are not sufficient, "transparency obligations for authorities are necessary so that cases like Ferrero must be made public immediately".
Children's sweets in recall: authorities stop production in Ferrero factory
Update from Friday, April 8th, 2022, 2.40 p.m .:
As Ferrero France announced in Luxembourg, the trigger for the international recall of Ferrero sweets was the discovery of salmonella in a plant in Arlon, Belgium.
According to the information, these were already discovered during an inspection on December 15, 2021.
A filter at the outlet of two raw material tanks was identified as the cause.
The affected materials and finished products were blocked and not delivered.
After the incident, Ferrero removed the filter.
The level of demanding controls of semi-finished and finished products has also been increased.
By working with food and health authorities in Europe, Ferrero has obtained new data showing a match between the salmonella cases reported in Europe and its own Arlon plant.
Ferrero is recalling surprise eggs in several countries.
The popular candy should not be consumed.
© Victoria Jones/dpa
The recall, which started as a precautionary measure and affects products manufactured in Belgium, is being carried out with trading partners in all affected countries for the relevant batches of the affected confectionery.
Ferrero has meanwhile recalled other products (see update from 9.55 a.m.).
Ferrero recall: More sweets affected - Salmonella problem probably known for a long time
Update from Friday, April 8th, 2022, 9:55 a.m .:
Due to salmonella, the company is currently recalling numerous children's sweets.
But the problem is said to have not only recently become known: as focus.de reports, salmonella was found in some products as early as December 2021.
In addition, the recall will now be extended to other Christmas confectionery, the company announced in a press release.
The following children's products from Ferrero are now also affected:
Kinder Surprise Maxi Classic Egg Christmas, 100g (Best before April 20th, 2022)
Kinder Surprise Maxi Pink Egg Christmas, 100g (Best before April 20th, 2022)
Kids mix boots, 219g (best before 20.04.2022)
Children's mix gift bag, 193g (Best before April 20th, 2022)
Children's Maxi Mix plush, 133g (best before April 20th, 2022)
Children's mix table advent calendar (best before 20.04.2022)
Ferrero expands children's candy recall
Update from Thursday, April 7th, 2022, 9.50 a.m .:
After Germany and other European countries, the Ferrero company also recalled numerous children's products in Australia shortly before Easter.
As the authority responsible for food safety (FSANZ) announced on Thursday, these may be contaminated with salmonella.
The sweets, including the popular children's surprise eggs and Easter sweets, are sold there in large supermarket chains such as Coles and Woolworth, among others.
"Consumers should not eat these products and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund," the agency's website said.
The products affected by the recall were all made in Belgium.
In Israel, Ferrero is also recalling several children's products as a strict precaution.
So far, however, there have been no reports of salmonella contamination there, the Israeli Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday (April 6, 2022).
The following Ferrero products are affected by the recall:
Kinder Surprise Eggs Pack of 3, 3 x 20 g (Best before: April to June 2022)
Children's chocolate bons (best before: May to September 2022)
Children's Chocolate Bons White (May to September 2022)
Kinder Surprise Egg Maxi, 100g (best before: April to September)
Kinder Mini Eggs all varieties, 100g (best before: August to September 2022)
Kinder Mix Colorful mix, 132g (best before: August to September 2022)
Children's mix basket, 86g (Best before: August to September 2022)
Children's mix bag, 193g (Best before: August to September 2022)
Children Happy Moments, 162g (Best before: May to September 2022)
Kinder Happy Moments mini Mix, 162g (Best before: May to September 2022)
Children's surprise eggs (pack of four, best before 21.08.2022)
Kids Maxi Mix plush (best before 21.08.2022)
Children's Mini Eggs Mix (best before 21.08.2022)
Kinder Surprise Maxi Egg Smurfs (best before 08/19/2022 to 09/18/2022).
Ferrero recall: children hospitalized with severe symptoms
Update from Wednesday, April 6th, 2022, 9:05 p.m .:
Ferrero is now recalling other children’s products in Germany.
"Ferrero is working closely with the responsible food authority in Germany to uncover a possible link to a number of reported cases of salmonella," the company said.
Although none of the children's products that have been put on the market have tested positive for salmonella to date, the following items should also no longer be consumed as a precautionary measure:
Children's surprise eggs (pack of four, best before 21.08.2022)
Kids Maxi Mix plush (best before 21.08.2022)
Children's Mini Eggs Mix (best before 21.08.2022)
Kinder Surprise Maxi Egg Smurfs (best before 08/19/2022 to 09/18/2022).
These products were also manufactured in Belgium and could therefore also pose a health risk.
Ferrero had already recalled several products on Tuesday (April 5th, 2022).
Ferrero recall due to salmonella: several children in the hospital
Update from Wednesday, April 6th, 2022, 2:05 p.m .:
Ferrero has recalled sweets in several European countries.
These include some products that are particularly popular with children, such as surprise eggs, chocolate bons and mini eggs in an Easter design.
The reason is salmonella cases, which are said to be related to the products.
The EU food safety authority EFSA and the EU health authority ECDC have now started investigations into the outbreak.
They want to publish an assessment in the coming week.
So far, 105 confirmed cases and 29 suspected cases have emerged, most of them in children under the age of ten, the authorities based in Parma and Stockholm said on Wednesday.
The outbreak has been marked by an unusually high proportion of children requiring hospitalization, including some with severe symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, EU authorities said.
According to the information, almost half of all infections reported so far were in Great Britain, where the first case was detected on January 7th.
In Germany, four confirmed and three suspected cases are known.
Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are also affected.
Big recall for surprise eggs & Co. before Easter: which products are affected in Germany
First report from Tuesday, April 5th, 2022:
Kassel – Shortly before Easter, Ferrero started a current recall* for several sweets that are particularly popular with children.
The recall affects surprise eggs (Kinder Surprise), chocolate bons and Kinder Mini-Eggs.
All affected products were manufactured at the Arlon plant in Belgium, according to the product warning.eu portal.
After initially only recalling Ferrero sweets in Belgium, France, Great Britain and Ireland, the company has now extended the recall to Germany.
Popular sweets in the recall: Surprise eggs, chocolate candies and children's mini-eggs affected
The reason for the recall* of the sweets is possible contamination with dangerous bacteria.
"We are voluntarily recalling selected lots of Kinder Surprise as a precautionary measure due to a possible link to a number of reported cases of Salmonella," Ferrero told the UK.
As Ferrero Germany announced in an official press release, it is also a voluntary recall in Germany.
So far, none of the affected products have been tested positive for salmonella on the German market.
"We take food safety very seriously and regret this matter," the company wrote.
company | Ferrero |
head office | Alba, Italy |
founding | 1946 |
The recall is currently affecting several European countries.
According to information from productwarning.eu, Ferrero sweets are also being recalled in Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Ireland.
However, consumers can always check purchased products such as surprise eggs, chocolate bons, Kinder Surprise and Kinder Mini Eggs based on the place of production and the date of manufacture.
24rhein.de also reports on the large Ferrero recall*.
In Belgium, the Federal Food Safety Agency (Agence fédérale pour la sécurité de la chaîne alimentaire) published the recall.
Consumers are asked not to consume the five affected chocolate products.
With Easter just around the corner and the sweets popular with children, the agency is asking parents to check if they have these products in their possession and, if so, to ensure they are not eaten.
Ferrero launches candy recall: These products are affected
In France, the recall for Ferrero sweets was published by the Health Department (Santé Publique France).
The following products are being recalled in France and Belgium:
Kinder surprise egg 20g and 3x20g, best before date between 11/07/22 and 7/10/22,
Kinder Surprise Egg Maxi, best before date between 10/08/22 and 10/09/22.
Chocolate Bons, best before date between 10/08/22 and 10/09/22.
Kinder Mini Eggs, best before date between 10/08/22 and 10/09/22.
Ferrero has launched a recall for its Kinder Surprise product in the UK and Ireland.
Kinder Surprise, 20g and 3x20g, best before date between 11/07/2022 and 07/10/2022
Recall of children's sweets because of salmonella: don't eat surprise eggs and chocolate candies
Salmonella contamination can be particularly dangerous for small children, pregnant women, the weak or the elderly.
They should seek medical help, especially if diarrhea or vomiting lasts longer than 2 to 3 days and there is also a fever, advises the Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA).
The Ferrero sweets affected by the recall should therefore not be consumed.
Symptoms of a salmonella infection are sudden diarrhea, headache and stomach ache, general malaise and occasionally vomiting.
A slight fever is also common.
The symptoms often last for several days and then subside on their own.
"In rare cases, serious illnesses, such as a bloodstream infection (sepsis), sometimes with a high fever, can occur," the BzgA reports.
In addition to salmonella, manufacturing defects are often reasons for a recall*.
Anyone who bought the recalled surprise eggs, chocolate bons or Kinder Mini Eggs can contact Ferrero customer service.
It's not the first recall launched for a candy* before Easter this year.
Chocolate eggs made from marzipan and chocolate are also being recalled.
(sne/as with dpa)
*hna.de and 24rhein.de are offers from IPPEN.MEDIA.
