The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) gave the order after British health authorities identified a link between the product and dozens of salmonella poisoning cases.
he Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) on Monday ordered a suspension of the sale of Kinder chocolate in Indonesia over salmonella containment concerns.
BPOM said the order would be in place until the agency had completed randomized tests and sampling for all kinds of Kinder chocolate products circulating in the archipelago.
The agency's decision comes after the United Kingdom’s health authorities identified a link between the chocolate and dozens of reported salmonella poisoning cases earlier this month. The poisoning exposed consumers, most of whom were children, to diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. No deaths have been reported.
“BPOM will temporarily stop the circulation of Kinder brand products until it is confirmed that the product does not contain Salmonella bacteria contamination,” the agency said in a statement.
Read also: Kinder recalls chocolate eggs after salmonella cases
BPOM's decision adds Indonesia to a list of countries including Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden that have followed the UK's recent move to restrict sales of the chocolate after salmonella contamination was detected in the manufacturing facility owned by Ferrero North America in Belgium.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued on April 2 a recall on certain Kinder chocolates with expiry dates ranging from Aug. 21 to Oct. 7 this year.
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