The Strauss company informed the Health Ministry on Tuesday night that the laboratory results on some Elite finished products were positive for salmonella, confirming that the salmonella found in the production line was transferred to the products.
Strauss said that the tainted products have already been recalled.
The CEO of Strauss Group in Israel Eyal Dor announced on Tuesday that the company will provide double compensation for consumers who purchased the tainted products.
On Wednesday, Strauss announced that the recall has been expanded to include the following products: Elite chocolate, cakes and wafer, Energy cereal bars, Energy chocolate-coated rice cakes, gum, and taffy candies.
A company spokesperson stated that two chocolate products out of 270 samples tested were found to be tainted with salmonella. “In light of these results, the company’s management decided not to take any risk, even if it is low, and to remove all factory products from the shelves.”
Dror said on Wednesday: “We will not take any risk regarding public health and due to the great confusion created among consumers, we decided this morning, in cooperation and coordination with the Food Authority in the Health Ministry, to expand the recall despite the fact, that as of now, we have no indication of any problems with these products. We will not take any risks and will absorb the costs as expected of us. All other Strauss products are safe for consumption.”
“Without a doubt, this is a significant incident for the Strauss Group, which has been manufacturing and marketing dozens of beloved brands to the public for many years and has operated with responsibility and transparency for over 80 years. The company’s management apologizes to the Israeli public, customers, and retailers for the serious mishap. We will draw lessons from the incident, change and improve the testing system and return to production only when we know that the factory and production lines are in order and the products are safe – as expected from a responsible company such as Strauss.”
“We are aware of the long waiting times in customer service, and promise to get back to every consumer, even if it takes a few days. Recall that we announced yesterday regarding double compensation with proof of purchase, for every factory product purchased, and of course, this compensation will also apply to the updated recall.”
Meanwhile, following a number of reports on Tuesday of cases of suspected salmonella poisoning, there were reports on Wednesday of two new cases. A ten-year-old boy who is being treated in the ICU at the Emek Medical Center in Afula was confirmed to be suffering from salmonella. Dr. Gur Zamir, director of the pediatric intensive care unit, said: “The boy is suffering from severe dehydration. He is receiving antibiotics, fluids, and salts in the ICU and his condition is now defined as stable.”
Channel 12 News reported that a toddler who was hospitalized at Schneider Children’s Hospital in Petach Tikvah over the weekend was confirmed to be suffering from salmonella.
It should be noted that most people who suffer from salmonella poisoning fully recover within 2-3 days. However, children, adults over age 60, and those who are immunocompromised are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
Let’s legislate that every piece of chocolate in the world, especially on airplanes , should be tested for salmonella before consumption. We can create a multi billion dollar testing industry and make sure that everyone will feel safe before biting into a bar if chocolate !
What’s wrong with the logic?