Ferrero Recalls Kinder Surprise Chocolate Eggs Due to Salmonella Outbreak

Consumers who have purchased Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs for Easter Sunday are advised to dispose of their packs as they could be contaminated with salmonella.

In the U.K., more than 60 children under five years old have been down with salmonella poisoning linked to Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs. The affected products also include Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Egg Hunt Kits, and Kinder Schokobons, which have been highly in demand this Easter holiday.

According to Metro, consumers should check the "best before dates" on the packaging of these candy treats after Ferrero expanded the list of contaminated chocolates. Initially, the company ordered the recall of packs with dates covering July 11, 2022, to Oct. 7, 2022, but Ferrero said even batches between April 20, 2022, to Aug. 21, 2022, might be contaminated.

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Australia, Germany, and France Kinder Surprise Recall

After the salmonella outbreak in the U.K., Food Standards Australia (FSA) also advised consumers to discard Kinder Surprise packs sold at Coles, KMart, Big W, Woolworths, and other retailers, including gas stations. The stores have also pulled out the products from the shelves to ensure the safety of the consumers.

Batches impacted by the recall have dates covering Aug. 23, 2022 to Nov. 20, 2022, for products like the Kinder Easter Basket, Kinder Mini Eggs Hazelnut, Kinder Surprise Maxi, and Kinder Surprise Maxi - Natoons, per 7 News. However, FSA also said that the recall is specific to Kinder goodies made from Ferreror's Belgium manufacturing facility and not from Italy.

In Germany and France, recalls were also issued as a matter of precaution following the incident in the U.K. However, there have been no confirmed reports of salmonella poisoning from Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs from this region.

Tina Potter, the Head of Incidents at Ferrero, acknowledged that the chocolates are popular with children, urging parents and guardians to check their purchases if they already have the products at home.

In the U.S., Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs have been banned since 2017 because it is a choking hazard, especially for younger kids. However, the treats are still popular in the black market and are acquired from online stores.

Risk of Salmonella Poisoning

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under five years old are most vulnerable to salmonella contamination. Symptoms of the illness include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, which could last for four to seven days. Those with weaker immune systems are at risk of developing complications in the nervous system or long-term chronic health issues like reactive arthritis.

Salmonella infection may be treated with antibiotics, but there have been increasing cases of resistance to essential antibiotics, especially for bad infections. Treatment might not be needed for some kids as their condition could improve without medication. However, if the children are still feeling weak after five or seven days, parents are advised to bring them to the doctor for a proper evaluation and check-up. 

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