07/13/2023 20:52 (act. 07/13/2023 21:31)
In 2022, some of the company’s children’s products have already been affected. ©APA/AFP/BELGIUM/ERIC LALMAND
Italian chocolate maker Ferrero has halted production at its factory in Arlon, Belgium, due to salmonella.
“All production has stopped,” a spokeswoman for the candy maker said on Thursday. The bacteria was discovered there in late June. Parts of Kinder chocolate products from the same factory were affected by salmonella contamination last year.
Production halted at Ferrero’s Belgian factory due to salmonella
Ferrero’s spokeswoman stressed that the factory “was not closed” and that employees’ wages were “one hundred percent covered”. Cleaning will take about two weeks. The company described the halt in production as a purely precautionary measure and emphasized that no final products tested positive for salmonella.
Major product recall due to Salmonella in April 2022
In April 2022, Ferrero had to recall some children’s products due to suspected salmonella, including surprise eggs, chocolate candies and mini eggs. Arlon, in the Belgian Ardennes, is a key location for the confectionery manufacturer, known worldwide for its Kinder and Nutella brands, among others.
Salmonella can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps and is one of the most common foodborne infections. Infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are potentially susceptible to more severe disease progression.