The Italian confectionery giant Ferrero This Friday he acknowledged “internal failures” and apologized after the Belgian authorities announced the closure of their Kinder chocolate factory in Belgium, due to cases of salmonella in France and the United Kingdom.
“Ferrero acknowledges that there were internal failures, which caused delays in the recovery and timely exchange of information. This affected the speed and effectiveness of the investigations,” the group acknowledged in a statement.
The Arlon plant represents approximately 7% of the total volume of Kinder products manufactured worldwide over the course of a year,” the manufacturer said in the text.
Shortly before, the Belgian Food Safety Agency (AFSCA) had announced on Friday that it had withdrawn the production authorization for the Kinder chocolate factory in Arlon, which was the origin of a salmonella outbreak, noting that Ferrero, owner of the brand, provided “incomplete information”.
“For several weeks, more than a hundred cases of salmonellosis have been identified in Europe,” the AFSCA said in a statement, adding that since the end of March a “link” between these poisonings and the Ferrero factory in Arlon in Belgium has been confirmed. “.
The health authority, which ordered the withdrawal of products from the Kinder range from this plant, stressed that “it will closely follow the steps undertaken by Ferrero and will not authorize the reopening of the factory until it has been able to conclude that the establishment complies with all food safety standards and requirements.
The investigation at Ferrero continues, he said, urging consumers not to purchase any of the products in question.
The decision to withdraw the authorization of the Arlon factory was taken “to clarify the situation,” said Belgian Agriculture Minister David Clarinval, quoted in the statement.
“This decision is never taken lightly, but the current circumstances dictate it,” he added, citing the imperative of food safety.
Some 63 cases of salmonellosis were identified in the UK, while in France 21 cases were reported, 15 of whom claimed to have consumed Kinder products, according to the French Ministry of Health. In this country, the withdrawal would be around the equivalent of hundreds of tons of chocolates.
Product recall extends to Argentina and the US
A few days before Easter, the Italian manufacturer – which had withdrawn the Kinder chocolates marketed in several European countries (France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden and the Netherlands) days ago – extended the decision, preventively, to the United States United States and Argentina.
There are no confirmed cases in the United States to date and no other Kinder or Ferrero products are affected by this recall,” the group said in a statement Thursday.
Ferrero claimed to be working, in both countries, with distributors and retailers closely to ensure products are no longer “available for purchase”, seeking to prioritize “food safety” and “consumer care”.
Regarding the case of Argentina, the company explained that, in agreement with the National Food Institute (INAL), they made the decision to “voluntarily withdraw” the Kinder Mini Eggs with expiration dates between July 11 and October 21 next “as a precaution”.
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. It is one of the most common foodborne infections.