Easter Sunday came and went but there might be an unpleasant surprise lurking in those imported chocolate eggs – Salmonella Typhimurium.
Hopefully by now, you have already heard the news of Ferrero Group’s worldwide recall which was announced by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Friday (Apr 15), warning consumers not to purchase or consume products made at Ferrero’s Arlon plant in Belgium due to possible salmonella contamination.
Along with the UK-centric products that have been recalled (Kinder Surprise, Kinder Surprise Maxi, Kinder Mini Eggs and Kinder Schok-Bons), Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. also recalled the Kinder Happy Moments, Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats, as well as Crispy Wafers Assortments that have a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 09800 52025 on its right side panel and a “Best By” date of Jul 18, 2022.
Luckily for us in China, what retail is the Kinder Joy and Kinder Bueno, which were announced to be unaffected on Ferrero’s website at the time of writing.
On Monday (Apr 18), Forbes reported that over 150 people, mostly young children, across 10 countries including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, had contracted salmonella. Most of the victims below 10 years of age have been hospitalised due to the health risks brought on by salmonella’s most common symptoms including diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that may last up to seven days.
If you think your child might have contracted salmonella, please seek medical attention immediately.
If you have purchased any of the recalled products via any Mainland China shopping channels, do not consume them and throw them out at once. You will be able to request a refund for the recalled products through that channel. According to GAC, you can also request a refund from Ferrero China.
KEEP READING: Bittersweet Indulgence: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Chocolate
Images: Pexels