CFS continues to follow up on imported chocolate products with possible contamination of Salmonella

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 19) said that subsequent to earlier announcements that some imported chocolate products might have been contaminated with Salmonella, a pathogen, follow-up investigations showed another affected product has been imported to Hong Kong for export to the Mainland. The product was not put on sale in Hong Kong.

     Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: Kinder Happy Moments Mini Mix 162g
Brand: Kinder
Place of origin: Belgium
Net weight: 162 grams per pack
Best-before dates: July 7, 2022, and July 8, 2022

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that the above-mentioned batches of a chocolate product are suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella and have been imported into Hong Kong. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers for follow-up."

     The CFS's follow up investigations found that an importer, Hongkong Ehigo E.commerce Co Ltd, had imported the affected batches of the product for export to the Mainland. All the products are stored inside a warehouse after import and they have not entered the local market. The CFS has inspected the warehouse and marked and sealed the product concerned. The operator was also instructed to dispose of all the product concerned and the CFS has notified the Mainland authorities concerned of the incident.

     "Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. 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 said.

     The latest information on affected products can be found at the CFS's Food Incident Post webpage (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/rc/subject/fi_list.html). The CFS has stepped up testing of related products as well as alerting the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up, closely liaise with overseas authorities and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.