In the news

On April 27, WHO published a report on the monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to Ferraro Belgium chocolate. It reported that on March 27, 2022, the United Kingdom notified WHO of a cluster of cases with monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type 34 infection. Investigations linked the outbreak to chocolate produced in Belgium, distributed to at least 113 countries. A global alert was released by INFOSAN on April 10, initiating a global product recall. To date, 151 genetically related cases suspected to be linked to the consumption of the implicated chocolate products have been reported from 11 countries. Monophasic S. Typhimurium matching the human outbreak cases was identified in buttermilk tanks at the Ferrero Corporate plant in Arlon, Belgium, in December 2021 and January 2022. After implementing hygiene measures and negative Salmonella testing, the implicated products (all Kinder products manufactured at the implicated facility (Arlon), including Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Surprise Maxi 100g, and Kinder Schoko-Bons) were distributed across Europe and globally. As of April 25, 2022, a total of 151 genetically related cases of S. Typhimurium suspected to be linked to the consumption of the implicated chocolate products have been reported from 11 countries, including Belgium (26), France (25), Germany (10), Ireland (15), Luxembourg (1 ), the Netherlands (2), Norway (1), Spain (1), Sweden (4), the United Kingdom (65) and the United States of America (1). Children under 10 years of age (n=134; 89%) were disproportionately affected. @ https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON369

The Ministry of Health of Israel published a series of flaws in how the Elite Nof Hagalil factory operated, which likely led to the introduction of salmonella. So far, there are 21 cases of suspected salmonella infections and six hospitalizations from the Strauss factory in Nof Hagalil. As a result, the Israeli health ministry closed the factory for 3 months. The Ministry of Health has published a list of flaws in the factory operation, which likely led to the introduction of salmonella. Pigeons had entered the factory several months ago and could have been the source of the contamination. The Ministry of Health found that the factory’s quality control team had undergone changes over the past year, and there was temporarily no food safety manager at the factory. Most significantly, salmonella contamination seems widespread within the factory, with 30 samples positive for salmonella out of 300 taken. The affair had led to one of the most extensive product recalls which has ever taken place in Israel, encompassing all products of the factory affected: Elite chocolate, Elite cakes, Elite waffles, Energy snack bars, Energy chocolate covered rice crackers, chewing gum, and soft sweets, with all expiry dates. @ https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-21-suspected-salmonella-infections-from-strauss-plant-1001410757

The CFIA reported that more poppy seeds are recalled from the marketplace because of possible Salmonella contamination. The latest recall is for Healthy Planet – Markham; the recalled product has been sold at Healthy Planet – Markham, ON. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. The latest brand recalled is Healthy Planet – Markham. @ https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/certain-organic-poppy-seeds-recalled-due-salmonella