Kinder Chocolate Recall Issued Due to Salmonella Risk, As Easter Holiday Approaches

Reports of salmonella illness in Europe were linked to consumption of Kinder chocolate manufactured at the same facility that ships products to the U.S.

With the Easter holiday just around the corner, a massive Kinder chocolate recall has been issued due to a risk of salmonella food poisoning.

A recall of Kinder Happy Moments Chocolate Assortments and Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats Baskets was announced on April 12, impacting products produced and sold internationally by the Italian chocolate firm Ferrero.

The action was taken after a number of reports involving salmonella infections reported in the United Kingdom and European Union among individuals who ate Kinder chocolate products. Test samples from a Belgium production factory have been found to contain the same strain of salmonella that caused the illnesses.

A rapid outbreak assessment released by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control indicated that the most likely contamination point was from the processing step that involved buttermilk.

The U.S. recall involves the following 2 products:

• Kinder Happy Moments Chocolate and Crispy Wafers Assortment, 14.1 OZ (400g) in the square box with lid; with a Best Buy Date of July 18, 2022, that can be found on the back panel along with the Lot Codes which are 48RUP334; 48RUP335; 48RUP 336; 48RUP337.
• Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats Basket, 5.3 OZ (152g) in the cardboard basket; with a Best Buy Date of July 30, 2022, that can be found on the bottom of the package along with the Lot Code which is 03L 018AR – 306.

Though there are no reported cases of Salmonella infection in the U.S., the recalled products were manufactured in the same facility in Belgium where the contamination was detected.

The FDA notice also warns of other Kinder branded products that are not officially authorized for sale in the U.S. that could be found in U.S. retail locations. The only Kinder products with official authorization for U.S. distribution and sale have the following description printed directly on the packaging:

EXCL. DIST. FERRERO U.S.A., INC.

PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054

Any Kinder product that does not have this information should be disposed of immediately as it could be part of the more expansive European recall.

Salmonella Typhimurium, the specific strain found in the reported infections, is often associated with animals and animal products. This strain of Salmonella causes gastroenteritis, an intestinal infection with symptoms of diarrhea, fever, headache, vomiting, and abdominal cramping. While most healthy adults infected by Salmonella Typhimurium can recover within days with limited medical attention, the infection is considerably more dangerous to the elderly and the immuno-comprised.

While not everyone who comes into contact with Salmonella-contaminated products will become ill, children under the age of 5 are at a greater risk of illness. In the U.S. there are approximately 50,000 cases of Salmonella infection reported annually. Of that number, approximately a third of those cases involve children 4 years of age or younger.

Consumers who believe they possess or have purchased the recalled products are cautioned not to eat them, and contact Ferrero customer service, at 1-800-688-3552 or via https://www.ferreronorthamerica.com/contact-US-residents, with any questions and for more information.