Chocolate maker Ferrero has partially halted production at its Arlon factory in Belgium. Salmonella has been detected at the factory. For the second time, there is an outbreak in the factory.
Because of a finding of salmonella, the chocolate manufacturer Ferrero has partially stopped production at its plant in Arlon, Belgium. However, the company assured that no end product had tested positive. A “part of the production line has been shut down,” the company said.
It was initially unclear where the salmonella were found. As the AFP news agency reported, the bacterium was discovered at the end of June. Arlon in the Belgian Ardennes is an important location for Ferrero. The confectionery manufacturer based in Alba, Italy, is known worldwide for its brands Kinder and Nutella, among others.
factory “not closed”
According to Ferrero, the competent authority was informed that salmonella had been found. Now every step of the verification should be carried out in cooperation with the Belgian food control authority. According to the company, the cleaning should take about two weeks.
According to Ferrero, there will be no impact on current employment at the plant. The factory was “not closed,” according to a company spokeswoman. The production stop is a precautionary measure.
Second outbreak in a short time
It is the second outbreak of salmonella in the Belgian factory. Last spring, surprise eggs and other Ferrero products were recalled in several countries – including Germany – after an accumulation of salmonella cases was found. Great Britain was particularly hard hit with 128 cases. At that time, the cause turned out to be impurities in the Belgian chocolate factory.
At that time, the Afsca supervisory authority had withdrawn the production license from the site until all rules and requirements of food safety were met. Ferrero only received final approval to keep the Arlon plant open in September last year.
Young children are particularly susceptible to salmonella
Salmonella can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps and is one of the most common foodborne infections. Babies, small children, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system are potentially susceptible to more severe disease progression.