If You Bought This Popular Chocolate, Do Not Eat It, FDA Warns
Consuming one of these products could lead to serious illness.
Some of life's best moments happen when we indulge just a little. For many of us, that indulgence comes in the form of a sweet treat, specifically chocolate. With the Easter holiday right around the corner, you may have picked up some extra goodies to enjoy with friends and family. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning about two chocolate products from one popular brand. Read on to find out which chocolates the agency said you should absolutely not eat.
RELATED: If You Have Any of These Popular Peanut Butters, Get Rid of Them Now.
Ferrero U.S.A. is voluntarily recalling two of its Kinder chocolate products due to the risk of salmonella.
The FDA announced on April 7 that Ferrero U.S.A. is voluntarily recalling two of its products, The Kinder Happy Moments Chocolate Assortment and the Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats Basket, due to possible salmonella contamination. Both chocolate products were manufactured in a European facility where salmonella was detected, according to the FDA recall announcement.
"Ferrero deeply regrets this situation," the company said in a statement outlining the recall, noting that there have been no reports of illness in the U.S. and no other Kinder or Ferrero products are affected.
"We take food safety extremely seriously and every step we have taken has been guided by our commitment to consumer care. We will continue to work cooperatively with the Food and Drug Administration to address this matter," Ferrero said.
A salmonella outbreak in Europe prompted the recall of Ferrero products.
Ferrero issued the voluntary recall in the U.S. "out of an abundance of caution," due to a salmonella outbreak in several European countries, according to the press release. Products sold in the U.S. were manufactured at Ferrero's facility in Arlon, Belgium, where a filter has been identified as the point of origin for the outbreak, the company said. The filter was at the outlet of two raw material tanks and has since been removed.
Earlier this week, several Kinder chocolate products were recalled across Europe due to the outbreak, which is primarily affecting children under the age of 10, NPR reported. According to an April 6 press release from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the outbreak is "rapidly evolving" in at least nine countries, including France, Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and the U.K. The first case of salmonella was documented in the U.K. on Jan. 7, 2022, and the total has climbed to 134 confirmed and probable cases.
Potentially contaminated products were also sold across Canada, prompting a recall announcement on April 6.
If you think you bought recalled Kinder chocolate, here's how to double-check.
The Kinder Happy Moments Milk Chocolate and Crispy Wafers Assortment was sold at Costco locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Nevada, as well as at BJ's Wholesale Club stores. The Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats Basket was sold at 14 Big Y Supermarket locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. If you frequent these stores and tossed one of these chocolate treats in your shopping cart, the FDA provides simple ways to check if they're part of the recall.
The Happy Moments Chocolate Assortment is packaged in a 14.1-ounce square box with a lid and has a Best By Date of July 18, 2022, listed on the back panel. Listed right below that date is the lot code—keep an eye out for any packages with 48RUP334, 48RUP335, 48RUP335, and 48RUP337. On the right-side panel, underneath the barcode, look for the Universal Product Code (UPC) 09800 52025.
The Kinder Kix Chocolate Treats Basket comes in a 5.3-ounce cardboard basket, and recalled products have a Best By Date of July 30, 2022, printed on the bottom of the package. Check for the lot code 03L 018AR – 306 and the UPC 09800 60209.
RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Do not eat these Kinder products if you have them.
In the event you bought one of these chocolates, definitely do not eat them, the FDA warns. While they may not look spoiled or smell, food contaminated with salmonella can cause serious illness, which is sometimes fatal in younger children, elderly people, pregnant women, as well as those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of salmonella infection include fever, nausea, diarrhea (which can be bloody), vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rarer cases, salmonella can get into your bloodstream and cause complications such as endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valve) and arthritis.
A statement on Ferrero's website says they are working with retailers to ensure products are removed and no longer available for purchase. The FDA advises contacting the Ferrero customer service line at 1-800-688-3552 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Customers can also visit ferreronorthamerica.com/contact-US-residents to get a product refund.
RELATED: If You're Using Either of These Hand Sanitizers, Stop Immediately, FDA Warns.
