Islanders urged not to eat some Kinder products after salmonella outbreak

The Government of Jersey is warning islanders not to eat certain Kinder products after reports of children falling ill in the UK.

It comes as more than 60 people in the UK, mostly children under the age of five, have become infected with salmonella in an outbreak linked to Kinder Surprise eggs.

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

The products affected are the 20g eggs or the three packs of eggs, with a best before date between 11 July and 7 October.As a precautionary measure, chocolate firm Ferrero has recalled the eggs and people are being advised not to eat them.

The goods thought to be affected have all been manufactured at the same factory.

In a statement, Ferrero said: "The company takes food safety extremely seriously and we sincerely apologise for this matter."

What is salmonella?

It is a bacteria which causes food poisoning. Most people recover without treatment, but if people become seriously ill they may need hospital care because of the dehydration caused by the illness.

Symptoms typically resolve themselves within a few days and include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Symptoms can be more severe and lead to hospitalisation, especially in the very young and those with weakened immune systems.