Cadbury bars 'most likely cause of food poisoning'
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:20 pm
This may concern those of you who like to nibble on chocolate.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... w_22072006
Cadbury bars 'most likely cause of food poisoning'
By David Derbyshire, Consumer Affairs Editor
(Filed: 22/07/2006)
Cadbury's chocolate was the most likely cause of the salmonella outbreak that affected dozens of people earlier this year, the Government's health watchdog said yesterday.
The Health Protection Agency said contaminated chocolate bars and Easter eggs were the "most credible explanation" for the rise in food poisoning cases in the spring and early summer.
Three people, including a baby and a child, were treated in hospital.
It is the first time that Cadbury has been officially linked to the outbreak. The announcement will come as a blow to the company which has previously denied any connection with the outbreak.
Yesterday shares in Cadbury Schweppes closed at 518p down 6p.
The rare salmonella montevideo strain was discovered in chocolate crumb during routine, internal tests at a Cadbury factory in Marlbrook, Herefordshire, in January.
Further tests found "low levels" of the bacteria in seven products, including Freddo bars and button eggs.
At the time Cadbury concluded that there was no health risk and allowed the contaminated chocolate into the shops.
The scare came to light when the HPA began investigating an unusual outbreak of salmonella montevideo. It traced the source back to Cadbury in June. One million products were withdrawn.
Last month the company came under fire from health officials for using "out of date" tests for salmonella at its factories. It has also been criticised for not alerting authorities to the contamination for five months.
The health watchdog said up to 37 of the 56 cases of salmonella montevideo reported between March and July were identical to the bacteria found in Cadbury's confectionery.
The agency also discovered that 13 of the people infected in England and Wales could recall eating Cadbury products. Another had eaten confectionery but could not remember which brand.
The Welsh authorities also reported that a salmonella victim had eaten a Cadbury's product. No other products were found to have been eaten by all the victims.
The even spread of cases around the country and the profile of the victims suggested a nationally distributed food brand could be responsible. Since the recall, the number of cases of salmonella poisoning has fallen.
"The OCT [outbreak control team] concluded that consumption of products made by Cadbury Schweppes was the most credible explanation for the outbreak," the agency said in a statement.
Tests of other chocolate bars at the company's Birmingham headquarters have continued over the past couple of weeks.
Cadbury blamed the contamination on a leaking pipe that had been repaired. Yesterday it declined to say whether it accepted responsibility for the outbreak.
A spokesman for the company said: "We deeply regret that people have been unwell. We have changed our testing protocol and implemented new procedures."
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2006. |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... w_22072006
Cadbury bars 'most likely cause of food poisoning'
By David Derbyshire, Consumer Affairs Editor
(Filed: 22/07/2006)
Cadbury's chocolate was the most likely cause of the salmonella outbreak that affected dozens of people earlier this year, the Government's health watchdog said yesterday.
The Health Protection Agency said contaminated chocolate bars and Easter eggs were the "most credible explanation" for the rise in food poisoning cases in the spring and early summer.
Three people, including a baby and a child, were treated in hospital.
It is the first time that Cadbury has been officially linked to the outbreak. The announcement will come as a blow to the company which has previously denied any connection with the outbreak.
Yesterday shares in Cadbury Schweppes closed at 518p down 6p.
The rare salmonella montevideo strain was discovered in chocolate crumb during routine, internal tests at a Cadbury factory in Marlbrook, Herefordshire, in January.
Further tests found "low levels" of the bacteria in seven products, including Freddo bars and button eggs.
At the time Cadbury concluded that there was no health risk and allowed the contaminated chocolate into the shops.
The scare came to light when the HPA began investigating an unusual outbreak of salmonella montevideo. It traced the source back to Cadbury in June. One million products were withdrawn.
Last month the company came under fire from health officials for using "out of date" tests for salmonella at its factories. It has also been criticised for not alerting authorities to the contamination for five months.
The health watchdog said up to 37 of the 56 cases of salmonella montevideo reported between March and July were identical to the bacteria found in Cadbury's confectionery.
The agency also discovered that 13 of the people infected in England and Wales could recall eating Cadbury products. Another had eaten confectionery but could not remember which brand.
The Welsh authorities also reported that a salmonella victim had eaten a Cadbury's product. No other products were found to have been eaten by all the victims.
The even spread of cases around the country and the profile of the victims suggested a nationally distributed food brand could be responsible. Since the recall, the number of cases of salmonella poisoning has fallen.
"The OCT [outbreak control team] concluded that consumption of products made by Cadbury Schweppes was the most credible explanation for the outbreak," the agency said in a statement.
Tests of other chocolate bars at the company's Birmingham headquarters have continued over the past couple of weeks.
Cadbury blamed the contamination on a leaking pipe that had been repaired. Yesterday it declined to say whether it accepted responsibility for the outbreak.
A spokesman for the company said: "We deeply regret that people have been unwell. We have changed our testing protocol and implemented new procedures."
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2006. |
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