Ferrero had to withdraw several children’s chocolate products due to suspected salmonella. This worries many parents.
Although chocolate maker Ferrero had apparently known for months that salmonella had been detected in a factory, nothing happened. When several children fell ill in the UK, a massive recall of Kinder chocolate products began. Meanwhile, several supermarkets have removed all stocks of 13 “children” products from shelves.
The reports made headlines across Europe – and had many parents worried. A nurse working in a cantonal children’s emergency reported at “20 minutes” on Monday: “Reports of childhood illnesses always give us a tremendous amount of additional work,” she says. The mail arrived at “20 minutes” just before 3 am, so the nurse had to hear the tenth story from worried parents that their children had also eaten surprise eggs.
“The excitement about salmonella is great”
Apparently, she’s not alone in this: Simon Fluri, a pediatrician at Valais cantonal hospital, says: “The salmonella issue in children’s chocolate is causing a lot of uncertainty and has caused a lot of uncertainty.” Fluri sees several reasons for this: “It’s a very popular product, especially among children. If parents or grandparents wanted to make the child happy and bought children’s chocolate and the next day they read in the newspaper that it was contaminated with salmonella, it could have been the emotion is understandable.”
In addition, according to Fluri, due to the lifting of corona measures, infectious diseases such as gastroenteritis are circulating strongly: “Many children have stomach pains, nausea or vomiting frequently. Of course, this usually has nothing to do with with salmonella, however, the fact that these diseases are currently circulating is causing additional uncertainty.”
At the Valais cantonal hospital, some suspected cases have already been examined more closely: “If a child really has more severe or lasting symptoms and has already eaten children’s chocolate, we investigate.” So far, however, there has not been a proven case of salmonella poisoning following the consumption of children’s chocolate.
“Symptoms usually disappear after two days”
Toxinfo.ch also received several calls on the subject. This happens repeatedly during recall campaigns. “Then we try to tell parents that there could be completely different reasons why their children have stomachaches or diarrhea – even if they had children’s chocolate just before,” says Colette Degrandi, MD, Tox Info Suisse.
Bojan Josifovic, head of communications at Children’s Hospital Zurich, also says there is little cause for concern: “Stomach flu is much more common than salmonella,” he says. The symptoms are similar, mainly diarrhea and vomiting. “Symptoms usually go away in a day or two, even with salmonella. It’s important to drink plenty of fluids,” says Joifovic. A medical examination is only indicated if symptoms persist for an extended period of time or the child’s condition deteriorates.
Six cases of salmonella in Austria
Since the beginning of January 2022, more than 150 people, mainly children, have contracted salmonella in Europe. This outbreak, caused by a specific strain of Salmonella (multi-resistant S. Typhimurium monophasic MLVA 3-11-14-NA-0211 sequence type 34), is associated with Ferrero Kinder Schokolade branded products manufactured at a facility in Belgium.
Surgery eggs: there are already six cases of salmonella in Austria
The Ministry of Health immediately started investigations in Austria after the outbreak became known. An analysis by the AGES reference center for Salmonella shows that between January and March, most likely six people in Austria, including five children aged 3 to 6 years, were infected with the same strain of Salmonella:
In five isolates from patients, genetic testing has already been completed, in one case final testing is still in progress. AGES has now been commissioned to investigate a foodborne outbreak in the federal state.
Navigation account 20 minutes, time 04/12/2022, 20:59| Act: 04/12/2022, 20:59