At least two children have been infected in recent months with the strain of a salmonella bacteria that is linked to contaminated chocolate eggs from Kinder in Belgium, the United Kingdom and France. The RIVM confirms this on Tuesday NRC†
In the United Kingdom, more than 60 people have recently become infected after eating chocolate from the Italian brand, from the Ferrero factory in Arlon, Belgium. Belgium and France recalled several batches of chocolate from this factory on Monday and Tuesday.
According to the RIVM spokesperson, it is not clear whether the Dutch children also ate contaminated chocolate eggs. The two children, no older than five years old, are said to have been referred to the doctor at the end of February after showing symptoms linked to salmonella. Lab research has shown that the strain of bacteria the children were infected with is the same as those seen in outbreaks in Belgium and the UK.
On request, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has NRC let it be known that it is investigating with Belgian colleagues whether the contaminated products from the factory in question have also been spread in the Netherlands. There are currently “no indications” for that. Belgium and the UK called on Monday evening not to eat chocolate eggs from the Kinder brand.
