Kinder Surprise salmonella recall extended to Kinder Mini Eggs and Egg Hunt Kits

A recall of Kinder Surprise eggs has been extended to more Ferrero products, including Kinder Mini Eggs and Kinder Egg Hunt Kits because they might be contaminated with Salmonella, the Food Standards Agency has said.

An initial outbreak saw 63 people in the UK, mostly children under the age of five, become infected with salmonella linked to Kinder Surprise eggs.

Chocolate firm Ferrero had been recalling some batches of eggs as a precautionary measure while investigations continued into the link.

However, it has since been announced that more products from the firm's Kinder line, including Mini Eggs and Kinder Egg Hunt Kits are also being recalled amid fears of further contamination.

What products are being recalled?

• 20g eggs or the three-pack of eggs with a best-before date between July 11 and October 7 2022.

• 20g eggs or three-packs of the eggs with a best-before date of all dates up to and including October 7 2022.

• 100g Kinder Surprise packs with a best-before date between April 20 and August 21 2022.

• Kinder Mini eggs 75g packs with a best-before date between April 20 and August 21 2022.

• Kinder Egg Hunt Kits 150g with best before dates from April 21 to August 21 2022.

• Kinder Schokobons 200g with a best-before date of April 20 to August 21 2022.

"This is in connection with a potential link to a salmonella outbreak. A number of these cases have been young children," the FSA said.

More cases have reportedly been recorded in Europe, including Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. The eggs are made in Belgium.

Salmonella, the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK, can cause sickness, diarrhoea and fever, with symptoms usually starting within a few days (or hours) after eating the food that caused the infection.

While most cases resolve in a few days, symptoms can be severe and lead to hospital admission, especially in the very young and those with weakened immune systems.

European health officials say they are investigating a “rapidly evolving” outbreak of salmonella in 134 children that appears to be linked to chocolate Easter eggs that normally contain a surprise toy inside.

In a statement on Wednesday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said chocolate products were identified “as the likely route of infection,” adding that children mainly under 10 years of age were affected.

The first case was detected in Britain in January.

Officials said the epidemic has been characterised “by an unusually high proportion of children being hospitalised” and noted that product recalls have been started in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and the U.K. British authorities said the Italian company Ferrero had begun recalling specific batches of Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs.

Ferrero said the affected chocolate was made in Belgium, but that it was possible the recall could be extended to other countries.