After cases of salmonellosis, especially in children, have been reported for weeks in European countries, cases have also appeared in Switzerland. The Confederation has established a link between these cases and the international epidemic.
The Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (OSAV) said on Friday that it had not yet been able to establish whether this epidemic of infectious diarrhea was linked to chocolate products for children from the Italian group Ferrero. The investigation is ongoing.
Ferrero Switzerland has recalled products produced in a now closed factory in Belgium. European authorities have established a link between dozens of cases of salmonellosis and foodstuffs manufactured in this Ferrero factory. Children’s products include Kinder Surprise and Kinder Choco-Bons.
In collaboration with the competent cantonal authority, Ferrero Switzerland had recalled a total of nearly forty products due to possible contamination, the Federal Consumer Affairs Office said a little over a week ago.
Forty products recalled
According to the FOAG, food businesses are required to withdraw their products from the market or recall them if the foodstuffs imported, manufactured or sold by them present a health hazard or are unsafe.
Several Swiss retailers had already pulled Ferrero’s “children’s” products from their shelves, including major distributors Coop, Migros, Volg and Aldi, as they confirmed to the Keystone-ATS news agency.
These decisions come as 63 salmonella infections have been discovered in Britain and 21 in France. Fifteen of the people infected in France said they had consumed the “Kinder” products concerned.
ats