| Issue Date | 14.4.2022 |
|---|---|
| Source of Information | Notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission |
| Food Product | Chocolate products |
| Product Name and Description | Product name: Kinder Überraschung Maxi Rosa 100g XMAS
Brand: Kinder Place of origin: Belgium Net weight: 100 grams per pack Best-before date: April 20, 2022 Product name: Kinder Überraschung Maxi Classic 100g XMAS Brand: Kinder Place of origin: Belgium Net weight: 100 grams per pack Best-before date: April 20, 2022 |
| Reason For Issuing Alert | The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that two of the chocolate products that are possibly contaminated with Salmonella have been imported into Hong Kong.
Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death. |
| Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety | The CFS has immediately contacted local importers for follow-up. An importer, CIAO International Limited, had imported the affected batches of products. As a precautionary measure, the importer has already stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected products on April 7, and will initiate a recall according to the CFS’s instructions.
The CFS has stepped up testing of related products as well as alerting the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up, closely liaise with overseas authorities and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing. |
| Advice to the Trade | The trade should stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess them. |
| Advice to Consumers | Do not consume the affected products. |
| Further Information | The CFS press release
The latest information of affected products can be found at the CFS’s Food Incident Post webpage (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/rc/subject/fi_list.html). Members of the public may call the hotline of the importer, CIAO International Limited, at 2755 7777 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. |
The outbreak is characterised by an unusually high proportion of children being hospitalised, some with severe clinical symptoms such as bloody diarrhoea. Based on interviews with patients and initial analytical epidemiological studies, specific chocolate products have been identified as the likely route of infection. Affected cases have been identified through advanced molecular typing techniques. As this method of testing is not routinely performed in all countries, some cases may be undetected.
Product recalls have been launched in several countries to date, including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and the UK, to prevent the consumption of products potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Further investigations are being conducted by public health and food safety authorities in countries where cases are reported, to identify the cause and the extent of the contamination, and to ensure contaminated products are not put on the market.
ECDC and EFSA are assessing the available data from these countries and preparing a rapid outbreak assessment to be published next week. Questions regarding ongoing product recalls should be addressed to national food safety authorities.
