Kinder eggs, how many children have been contaminated with salmonella? Official updated data

The salmonella alert concerning the Kinder chocolate produced in the Ferrero factory in Arlon in Belgium continues to be discussed. To intervene on the issue this time is a truly authoritative source, the World Health Organization, which takes stock of the situation to date.

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Let's go back to talking about Kinder chocolate after the WHO published some interesting information on its website about the salmonella outbreak which mainly occurred in Europe. The data provided summarize the situation and the cases that have occurred, updated as of April 25, 2022.





As the WHO recalls, it all started on March 27, when the United Kingdom notified the World Health Organization of a group of cases of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type 34 infection. The investigations then linked the epidemic to chocolate. produced in the Arlon plant in Belgium, chocolate that has been distributed in at least 113 countries.

The WHO also recalls a fact that few know, namely that salmonella in that plant had already been found in December 2021!

Monophasic S. Typhimurium corresponding to human outbreak cases was identified in buttermilk tanks at the Ferrero Corporate facility in Arlon, Belgium, in December 2021 and January 2022. After implementing negative hygiene measures and tests for Salmonella, the involved products (all Kinder products manufactured at Arlon including Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Surprise Maxi 100g and Kinder Schoko-Bons) have been distributed throughout Europe and worldwide.

The real alarm, however, dates back to 10 April when the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) of the United Nations, issued a global alarm notifying the Member States of the epidemic and sharing information on the products involved, so as to start a international appeal.

Cases of salmonella in Europe

As stated on the WHO website:

To date, a total of 151 genetically related cases suspected of being linked to the consumption of the implicated chocolate products. The risk of spread to the WHO European region and to the world is assessed as moderate until information on complete product recall is available.

More specifically, the cases in the various countries up to April 25 are broken down as follows:


  • Belgium (26 cases)
  • France (25 cases)
  • Germany (10 cases)
  • Ireland (15 cases)
  • Luxembourg (1 case)
  • Netherlands (2 cases)
  • Norway (1 case)
  • Spain (1 case)
  • Sweden (4 cases)
  • United Kingdom (65 cases)

Also in the United States of America, then, there was a case reported to the WHO but:


There is a likelihood that other cases will be reported from other countries given the wide distribution of products during the Easter holidays which could lead to increased consumption of the implicated product or transport of the implicated product to additional locations following holiday-related travel. .

Furthermore:

Since the identification of existing cases has been done through advanced molecular techniques, which are not routinely used in all countries, it is likely that some cases will go undetected.

In practice, some cases may never be identified and reported, as a result the epidemic - at least theoretically - could be a bit more extensive than what we know from official data.

Kinder eggs, how many children have been contaminated with salmonella? Official updated data

©WHO

The most affected, as was to be expected considering the products involved, were above all children under 10:

Children less than 10 years of age (n = 134; 89%) were disproportionately affected and females accounted for 66% (n = 99) of reported cases. Information on reported symptoms and severity was available for 21 cases and of these, 12 (57%) reported bloody diarrhea and nine (43%) were hospitalized.

Fortunately, there is also some good news:

As of April 25, 2022, no deaths associated with the outbreak have been reported.

An antibiotic resistant strain of salmonella

The WHO then reveals another fundamental but little known detail:


According to analyzes by the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA), the epidemic strain is resistant to six types of antibiotics: penicillins, aminoglycosides (streptomycin, spectinomycin, kanamycin and gentamicin), phenolics, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, tetracyclines.

We remind you that antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest problems we should face in the near future but - already now - it is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Read also: Antibiotic resistance: it is already one of the main causes of death in the world, the shocking data


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Source: WHO

Read also:

  • Kinder and salmonella, even today there are two other Ferrero products recalled: the list on the Ministry website
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  • Kinder surprise and salmonella: new Ferrero calls, the list of products not to be consumed in the province of Bolzano
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