SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdistan Region’s ministry of health said on Wednesday it would ban imports of part of Kinder eggs due to a link with salmonella outbreak.
In a statement, the Region’s health ministry said it had decided to ban imports of Kinder Surprise MAXI with batch numbers L004L03 and L005L03-AD to the Kurdistan Region due to reports of salmonella contamination at a factory in Belgium.
Chocolate firm Ferrero has recalled some batches of Kinder eggs due to the possible presence of salmonella.
Investigations led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales and Public Health Agency Northern Ireland have found a link between reported cases of salmonella poisoning across the UK and Kinder Surprise chocolate, Evening Standard newspaper reported.
On Tuesday, European health officials said salmonella outbreak linked to Kinder eggs could have been caused by bad buttermilk in a Belgian factory.
At least 150 children have been taken ill in nine countries across the continent since the first case was identified in Britain in December, according to the newspaper.
Kurdistan’s health ministry said it had decided to “investigate the source of the product in the Kurdistan Region, identify the company imported it and identify the border crossings or airports where they are imported”.
It also decided to “recall all Kinder eggs with the same batch numbers produced in Belgium,” the statement read.
The salmonella bacteria can cause serious and severe infections, especially in children or elderly people and others with weak immune system.
Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, AP reported. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.
Probable or confirmed cases on Salmonella linked with eating chocolates has been found in Britain, France, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, according to Reuters.
