Kinder Surprise products made in a Belgian factory have been recalled globally following cases of salmonella illness overseas. There have been no confirmed cases in New Zealand.
Specifically, the recall notice applies to the 100g Kinder Surprise Maxi (Natoons variety) with batch number L298R03UNB and the best before date of August 23, 2022.
NZ Food Safety's deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle said the chocolate treat was particularly popular with children, and New Zealanders were urged to be cautious.
"The effects of salmonella infection can be serious, particularly in children younger than 5 years, adults 65 and over, and people with weakened immune systems."
Kinder products are made in a number of countries but the affected product came from one Belgian manufacturer, so people with the product should check the batch number carefully, Arbuckle said.
Anyone with affected products at home should not eat it, but throw it away or return it to the place of purchase.
"If you or a family member has eaten product affected by the recall and have concerns for your health, seek medical advice."
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhoea, fever, and stomach cramps six hours to six days after being exposed to the bacteria.
The illness usually lasted four to seven days and most healthy adults recover without treatment.
Europe's health agency said on Wednesday it was investigating dozens of reported and suspected cases of salmonella linked with eating chocolate in at least nine countries.
Global recall
Italian confectionary group Ferrero also recalled several batches of Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs and other products from Spanish shelves on Wednesday, after similar moves in Britain and Ireland on Monday.
Ferrero described the recalls as precautionary and said on Wednesday that so far no Kinder products released to the market had tested positive for salmonella.
"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) said.
The agency did not mention Ferrero or any other company in a statement, but warned on Wednesday that the reported cases were mostly among children under 10 years old.
The agency later said that Kinder chocolate eggs were involved but did not clarify whether the problem concerned exclusively those products.
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.
The European Union health agency said it was investigating, together with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 134 confirmed or probable cases of salmonella.
Product recalls have been launched in several countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Britain, the EU agency said.
- NZ Herald/Reuters
