A girl shows a Kinder chocolate egg she got as a gift, in Santiago, on June 20, 2016. (MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety has called on members of the public not to consume two Kinder chocolate products that might have been contaminated with Salmonella.
In a statement issued on Friday, a spokesman for the CFS said the products are Egg Hunt Kit (150 grams per pack) with a best-before date of Aug 21 and Kinder Surprise Milk Chocolate Egg with Toy (60 grams per pack) with a best-before date of Oct 24.
Belgian health authorities ordered on Friday Italian confectionery group Ferrero to suspend production at its plant in Belgium, after an investigation into dozens of cases of salmonella linked to the company's Kinder chocolates
The spokesman said the importers concerned have already stopped sales and removed the products from shelves. They have also initiated recalls of the affected products.
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The call came as Belgian health authorities ordered on Friday Italian confectionery group Ferrero to suspend production at its plant in Belgium, after an investigation into dozens of cases of salmonella linked to the company's Kinder chocolates.
Belgium's food safety agency AFSCA-FAVV said that a link had been confirmed between more than a hundred cases of salmonella over several weeks and Ferrero production in southern Belgium.
New Zealand has also issued notice on the recall of some Kinder products due to possible contamination by Salmonella.
Ferrero has recalled relevant products from shelves in Spain, Britain, Ireland and United States. The company did not explicitly link the recall to the salmonella cases.
On Wednesday, Europe's health agency had said it was investigating dozens of reported and suspected cases of salmonella linked with eating chocolate in at least nine countries and regions, mostly among children aged under 10.
READ MORE: Ferrero recalls some Kinder chocolates from US
“Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea,” the CFS spokesman said.
“The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death," the spokesman added.
The spokesman urged the public not to consume the affected products. The trade should stop selling the products if they possess them.
The CFS has stepped up testing of related products and an investigation is ongoing.
With Reuters inputs