The Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland and the UK Health Security Agency have issued another reminder to avoid eating a range of Kinder products this Easter weekend. Following an outbreak of Salmonella linked to certain Kinder product ranges and Schoko-Bons produced at one of the Ferrero company's factories in Arlon, Belgium, the agencies are continuing to work with Public Health sectors in Scotland, Wales and the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland - plus international public health and food safety authorities - to investigate.
As of April 15, there are 70 cases linked to this outbreak in the UK alone. The majority of the cases are in children under the age of five.
Emily Miles, Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency, said: “As we go into the Easter weekend, we are strongly urging consumers to follow the advice in the latest recall notice and to check any Kinder products they might have already bought against the list detailed in the notice, as they may pose a risk to health. If they do have any products on the list, they should not eat them and should discard them immediately.
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“We have emphasised to the business and the authorities in Belgium the importance of taking a precautionary approach to their recall and trust that they will continue to put consumers’ needs first in any action they take.”
Symptoms of salmonellosis – or infection with salmonella - typically resolve themselves within a few days. However, symptoms can be more severe, especially in young children, those who are pregnant and those with weakened immune systems.
Anybody with concerns that they have symptoms of salmonellosis should contact their GP or call NHS 111. Salmonella can be spread from person to person as well as from food, so anyone affected should adhere to good hygiene practices, such as washing hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and avoiding handling food for others where possible, if you have symptoms.
Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:
“We’re reminding people of the recall this Bank Holiday weekend as it’s possible these products have been bought and stored as gifts, or for events such as Easter trails.
“It’s crucial these products are not eaten and are discarded. Salmonella infection can be severe and many children affected in this outbreak have been very unwell and hospitalised, so anyone giving chocolate products to friends or family should take extra care to ensure their Easter gifts are not amongst those products recalled.
“Thank you to parents and guardians who worked with us and other public health authorities in the UK to tell us what their children had eaten prior to becoming unwell – this allowed us to rapidly pinpoint a potential source of infection and helped food chain investigations both in this country and in Europe. We understand this has been a worrying time for these families, and their responses have helped to prevent more children and vulnerable adults being affected.”
These are the products which have been recalled and the Food Standards Agency says, regardless of best-before date, should not be eaten:
- Kinder Surprise - 20g & 3 x 20g
- Kinder Surprise - 100g
- Kinder Egg Hunt
- Kinder Mini Eggs
- Kinder Schoko-Bons
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