KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry has confirmed that products by chocolate company Ferrero manufactured in Arlon, Belgium that were linked to a salmonella outbreak in Europe are not sold in the local market.
A statement by the ministry’s Food Quality and Safety Department senior director Mohd Salim Dulatti said the affected products include the Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Surprise Maxi 100g, Kinder Schokobons, and Kinder Egg Hunt Kit candies.
Salim said the ministry’s checks with data from the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia showed these products originated from Belgium and were never imported into Malaysia.
“Information from the International Food Safety Authorities Networks also verified the affected products are not exported into Malaysia.
“Most of the Kinder branded chocolates that are imported into the country come from Poland, Italy, Germany, India and several other countries,” he wrote in the statement today.
This follows reports of Ferrero recalling its Kinder chocolates from shelves across several European nations following links to salmonella cases over the past two weeks.
Even though none of the Kinder desserts were positively linked to the virus outbreak, Ferrero had said their decision to recall the confectionaries was a precautionary step.
Reports also detailed how products manufactured by the affected factory in Belgium were usually exported to countries like Britain, France, Germany, and Sweden.
State media in Britain and France reported 63 and 21 salmonella cases in their countries respectively, with the median age of those affected being 4-years-old
Salim today added that the ministry will continue monitoring potential risks and contaminations in imported food products to ensure that only the safest are sold locally.
“The ministry is always sensitive and concerned about matters that can threaten the safety of consumers,” he added. – The Vibes, April 13, 2022
