BANGALORE, April 8 (Reuters) – Italian confectionery giant Ferrero announced on Friday the shutdown of its Kinder chocolate factory in Arlon, Belgium, at the request of the Belgian Food Safety Agency (AFSCA). , which deplores “incomplete information” from the company.
“After investigations by the FASFC and following the findings of recent hours that the information provided by Ferrero is incomplete, the Agency is today withdrawing authorization from the Ferrero production plant in Arlon”, can -we read in a press release.
“All of the products in the Kinder range from the Ferrero d’Arlon production site are also recalled today”, specifies the agency.
A link was established at the end of March between around a hundred cases of salmonellosis identified in Europe, including around twenty in France, and the Arlon production plant.
“The FASFC will closely monitor the steps taken by Ferrero and will only authorize the reopening of the site after it has been able to conclude that the establishment meets all the food safety rules and requirements”.
Ferrero explained this incomplete information by “internal malfunctions”.
The Arlon plant represents approximately 7% of the total volumes of Kinder products manufactured worldwide on an annual basis.
The company has recalled several batches of Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs and other products in France, Spain, Great Britain, Ireland and the United States. (Praveen Paramasivam report, French version Lou Phily, edited by Sophie Louet)
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