Ferrero has informed Belgian authorities that it has found Salmonella at the site that was behind a major outbreak in 2022.
The confectionery company notified the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) of the Salmonella detection in the environment of the Arlon factory. It is not clear when the Salmonella positive was found, when authorities were told or whether it is the same type that was behind the outbreak.
Posted in Chocolate, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chocolate
Authorities have searched a number of Ferrero sites as investigations continue into a large Salmonella outbreak.
Six facilities in Belgium and Luxembourg were targeted this week including the factory in Arlon which is believed to be where contaminated occurred. The Belgian food safety agency stopped production at the plant in early April but it could reopen this month.
The monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to Kinder chocolate has sickened almost 450 people including 122 in the United Kingdom, 118 in France as well as four in Canada and one in the United States.
Ferrero said it was cooperating with authorities as part of the investigation.
Documents and computer hardware were seized during the operation but no arrests were made, according to the Luxembourg Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The two outbreak strains of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium were identified in 10 of 81 samples taken in Ferrero’s Arlon plant in Belgium between December 2021 and January 2022.
Posted in Chocolate, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, Salmonella in Chocolate
Researchers in Brazil have found high levels of the potentially lethal contaminant aflatoxin in chocolate and say constant monitoring is required.
Posted in Aflatoxin, Chocolate, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Mycotoxin
Tagged aflatoxin, chocolate, food production
FoodWorld 