Scandal with Kinder eggs: the plant where the salmonella epidemic originated is reopened

Belgian health authorities announced on Friday that they had given the green light to reopen for a trial period of the Ferrero plant in Arlonwhere Kinder eggs contaminated with Salmonella have been produced.

The Federal Food Safety Agency in Belgium (AFSCA) “has decided to give a conditional authorization to Ferrero for its production plant in Arlon “, in the south of the country, reads a statement from the authority.

This permission has duration of three months during which each ingredient will be analyzed before the distribution and sale of the chocolates.

“This reopening comes later thorough cleaning and safety checks carried out in close collaboration “with the authority, the company said.

In early April, on the eve of Easter, the group requested the withdrawal of all products manufactured in the Arlon plant after a dozen cases of salmonellosis had been reported, possibly related to the consumption of chocolates in different countries in Europe.

After the cases in Europe, the preventive withdrawal of Kinder products it also spread to the United States and Argentina.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) indicated that they were there until June 3 392 confirmed cases and 22 probable salmonellae identified in EU countries and the UK.

The company is accused of having reacted late before the problem that was detected in December and faces several judicial investigations.

Symptoms manifested by salmonella are diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Although in most cases the disease passes within a few days, severe symptoms can lead to aa recovery mainly in children – as has happened in several European countries in the face of this outbreak – and in people with weakened immune systems.