Preventive recall of some Kinder products

The health ministry on Friday announced the withdrawal of some Ferrero chocolates from the Cypriot market following a possible salmonella link that resulted in some EU member states recalling batches of Kinder surprise eggs earlier this week.

The announcement came after Lidl Cyprus informed the ministry’s health services that Ferrero company had gone ahead with preventive recall of additional Kinder products manufactured in the affected Belgium factory.

“The outbreak is characterised by an unusually high proportion of children being hospitalised, some with severe clinical symptoms such as bloody diarrhoea,” the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control (ECDC) had said.

According to the health ministry, the case is “closely monitored” by competent authorities and it will inform the public of any further information on additional products and/or batches becomes available.

“Investigations in the Member States where the affected products are manufactured are ongoing,” it added.

The products that have been recalled by Lidl on Thursday due to possible salmonella contaminations are:

Lidl urged consumers who have purchased the products not to consume them and to return them to the store, where they will be reimbursed money.

“All other Ferrero products, including other Kinder products, are not affected by this recall,” Lidl added.

For further information consumers can contact: Tel: +49 (0)69 / 665 666-0 or [email protected] Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.30pm.

On Monday, the health ministry issued a warning to consumers after some EU member states recalled batches of Ferrero’s Kinder Surprise eggs, which have not been shipped to Cyprus, over a possible salmonella link.

The specific batch that was recalled and might be contaminated with the common bacterial disease concerned individual package of 20g and package of 3 pieces x 20g eggs with a best before date between July 11, 2022 and October 7, 2022.

It added that products marked with a barcode beginning with the digits ‘800’ and bearing the information ‘DISTRIBUTED FOR CYPRUS: CYPROPHARM LTD’ are not affected.

Ferrero described the recalls as precautionary and said on Wednesday that no Kinder products released to the market had tested positive for salmonella.

Meanwhile, the European Union health agency said it was investigating, together with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 134 confirmed or probable cases of salmonella.

Britain has the highest number of incidents with 63 confirmed cases as of April 5, the ECDC said, adding that other countries with probable or confirmed cases are France, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway.

Product recalls have been launched in several countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Britain, the EU agency said.