Exploring The Potential Of Salmonella Bacteria, The BPOM Temporarily Stops Kinder Products In Indonesia

Kinder product illustration. (ANTARA/HO-Nanin).

JAKARTA - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has temporarily suspended the distribution of Kinder brand products in Indonesia because it requires laboratory testing related to the potential for Salmonella bacterial contamination.

"The BPOM will temporarily stop the circulation of Kinder brand products, until it is confirmed that the product does not contain Salmonella bacteria contamination," said a written statement quoted from the official website www.pom.go.id and confirmed to the Head of Public Relations Bureau of BPOM RI Noorman Effendi in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, April 11.

In the statement, it was explained that the BPOM would conduct random sampling and testing in all regions of Indonesia on registered Kinder brand products.

The activity was carried out in connection with the issuance of a public warning by the UK's (Food Standard Agency/FSA) regarding the recall of Kinder Surprise brand chocolate products. A number of countries in Europe have also followed a similar policy, including Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

On 2 April 2022, the UK FSA issued a public warning regarding the voluntary recall of Kinder Surprise brand chocolate products because it was suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella (non-thypoid) bacteria which can trigger mild symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps for consumers.

The victims affected were reported as 63 children, although they did not cause death. The BPOM stated that the recalled products were Kinder Surprise brand chocolate in single packs of 20 grams and triple packs of 20 grams each, with an expiration date for each product up to October 7, 2022.

The UK has also expanded the scope of product recalls by adding several variants, namely the Kinder Surprise branded product in 100-gram packaging, Kinder Mini Eggs in 75-gram packaging, Kinder Egg Hunt Kit in 150-gram packaging, and Kinder Schokobons in 200-gram packaging with an expiration date of 20 April to 21 August 2022. The policy acts as a precautionary principle on all Kinder chocolate products manufactured by Ferrero NV/SA in Belgium.

In the statement, the BPOM ensured that all Kinder brand chocolate products recalled in the UK were not registered with the BPOM RI.

Kinder brand products registered with the POM come from India with product variant names including Kinder Joy, Kinder Joy for Boys, and Kinder Joy for Girls. The product is manufactured by Ferrero India PVP, LTD.

To protect the public by prioritizing the precautionary principle, the BPOM will conduct tests using random samples throughout Indonesia on registered Kinder brand products.

The BPOM urges the public to report to the BPOM through the HALOBPOM Contact Center or the Consumer Complaints Service Unit (ULPK) at Balai Besar / Balai / Loka POM throughout Indonesia if they find Kinder brand chocolate products that are not registered with BPOM.

BPOM also urges the public to be smart consumers and not easily influenced by circulating issues. Always do a CLICK Check (Package Check, Label Check, Marketing Permit Check, and Expiration Check) before buying or consuming food products.