Belgian health authorities close chocolate factory over salmonella outbreak

Italian confectioner Ferrero has been forced to close its Belgian production plant by local authorities over an outbreak of salmonella. Belgium’s food safety authority, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca), ordered the shutdown and recall of all products from the Arlon-based factory, regardless of their production date. The recall covers the Kinder range of chocolate eggs, just days before Easter, a period when the likes of Kinder Surprise and Kinder Mini Eggs would be expected to sell in their millions. “The agency is today withdrawing its authorisation of the Ferrero production plant in Arlon,” read an Afsca statement issued on 8 April. The site is also facing a judicial investigation from the Belgian region of Luxembourg, where the factory is located. This was confirmed by deputy public prosecutor for Luxembourg province Anne-Sophie Guilmot. The Ferrero plant is the largest employer in the province, with between 725 and 1,100 people working at the site which accounts for 7% of total volumes of Kinder products made globally. The move to shut down the production line was sparked by a number of salmonella cases involving Kinder products. More than 100 cases were reported across Europe – the majority in the UK (63) and France (21). According to Afsca, Ferrero had provided “incomplete” information to the food safety’s authority’s investigation into the outbreak, so had been issued with closure order. The suspension will only be lifted once the plant is shown to be meeting all food safety rules, stated Afsca. Ferrero has since issued an apology, stating that the firm’s management “deeply regret this matter” and “take food safety extremely seriously”. The company added that, through its work with “several public health and food safety authorities” throughout Europe, it had been able to acquire “new data showing a genotype match between reported salmonella cases in Europe and our plant in Arlon”. Ferrero also stated that the presence of salmonella was first detected on 15 December, with the point of origin identified as a filter at the outlet of two raw material tanks. “Materials and finished products were blocked and not released, and the matter is currently being investigated together with food safety authorities,” stated Ferrero. "Such a decision is never taken lightly but the current circumstances make it necessary. The food security of our citizens can never be neglected," stated Belgium’s agriculture minister David Clarinval. While salmonella is one of the most common causes of food poisoning, the last major outbreak in Europe was in the Netherlands in 2012, when contaminated smoked salmon at a Dutch fish producer led to more than 1,000 people becoming sick. For Ferrero and its Kinder brand, the damage from its voluntary product recall and enforced factory closure remains to be seen. The loss of sales during such a busy festive period coupled with the reputational damage of being associated with salmonella may well be considerable. National newspapers across Europe have covered the story, several of which carry quotes from public health officials urging parents to ensure any Kinder-branded products are not given to children. Meanwhile, loss adjuster Sedgwick has warned that the number of product recalls in Europe is set to rise amid a raft of new European regulations. In 2021, according to Sedgwick’s latest State of the Nation Recall Index, Europe’s food and drink sector saw a 25% increase in the number of product recalls. Sedgwick also stated that European food industry regulators are being more aggressive with their enforcement, noting a €7.6m fine handed out to a supermarket for selling food past its sell-by date.

Belgian health authorities close chocolate factory over salmonella outbreak

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