Chocolate Lovers Beware! Salmonella Contamination Discovered in World’s Largest Chocolate Factory

According to a news agency, salmonella bacteria were found in the world’s largest chocolate production unit, managed by Barry Callebut. Barry Callebaut's Wieze factory in Belgium has ceased manufacturing.

Spokesman Korneel Warlop stated that all items created since the test had been prohibited. The factory makes liquid chocolate in wholesale amounts for 73 confectionary companies.

All consumers who may have received contaminated products are contacted by Barry Callebaut. Chocolate manufacturing in Wieze has been halted till further notice. "The majority of the tainted merchandise detected are still on the site," he stated.

However, the company has contacted all of its clients and requested them not to send any items manufactured with chocolate processed at the Wieze facility in Flanders, northwest of Brussels, since June 25.

AFSCA, Belgium's food safety regulator, has been notified, and an inquiry has been launched, according to an AFP spokeswoman.

The Wieze facility does not produce chocolate for direct sale to customers, and the company has no reason to assume that any affected items produced by clients have yet made their way onto store shelves.

The incident has come just a few weeks after a case of salmonella-contaminated chocolates was discovered at the Ferrero facility in Arlon, southern Belgium, which manufactures Kinder chocolates.

Belgian health officials stated on June 17 that they had given the Italian conglomerate permission to resume its production for a three-month trial term. Barry Callebaut, a Swiss company, distributes cocoa and chocolate products to several food firms, including Hershey, Mondelez, Nestle, and Unilever.

It is the world leader in the business, with annual sales of 2.2 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2020-2021.

The business, which has its headquarters in Zurich, had a net profit of 384.5 million Swiss francs ($402 million) on a turnover of 7.2 billion francs in the previous fiscal year. The company employs over 13,000 people and has more than 60 manufacturing facilities across the world.