The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has today recalled batches of Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs due to the presence of Salmonella.
Included in the recall are Kinder Surprise 20g and Kinder Surprise 20g x3 with best before dates between July 11, 2022, and October 7, 2022.
Retailers are requested to remove the implicated products from sale and to display a point-of-sale recall notice in stores where the affected products were sold.
Meanwhile, all wholesalers and distributors are asked to contact any affected customers, recall the affected products and provide a point-of-sale recall notice to their retail customers.
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A spokesperson from the FSAI said: “The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today advises that a food recall by Ferrero of some Kinder Surprise chocolate products is underway due to a link with a food poisoning outbreak of Salmonella.
“ The FSAI, together with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE, is investigating this ongoing food poisoning outbreak which is affecting Ireland, the UK and a number of other European countries.
“To date, there have been ten cases in Ireland with the same strain of Salmonella responsible for the UK outbreak.
“A number of these Irish cases have involved young children, all of whom have fully recovered. The FSAI is warning consumers who may have the recalled products at home not to eat them.”
People infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between 6 and 72 hours.
The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, Food Safety Authority of Ireland has warned consumers not to eat the affected products.
“If anyone has any of the affected product at home, we are advising them not to eat it,” she said.
“We know that these particular Kinder Surprise products are popular with young children. Given that we are approaching Easter, we would urge parents and guardians to check at home if they have any of the products and if they do, to ensure that any are not eaten.
“We have ten cases of Salmonella food poisoning in Ireland linked to these products. The most common symptom of Salmonella food poisoning is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody.
“Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps.”
The FSAI is liaising with the Department of Health and working closely with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE, as well as the relevant agencies in the UK.
The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing and the FSAI will provide further updates, as necessary.
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