Food safety authorities are investigating more than 100 cases of salmonella that might be linked to tainted chocolate.
Officials say 125 cases of illness have been reported in several European countries, and evidence points to potentially contaminated chocolate eggs made at a Ferrero factory in Belgium as the source.
The cases are reportedly spread across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Sweden.
On Tuesday, Ferrero announced a recall of its toy-filled Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs in the U.K. because of the "possible presence" of salmonella." At least 63 cases of illness linked to the products have been identified in the U.K., the majority of which are children under 5 years old, Reuters reported.
Those sickened reportedly consumed the eggs between December 2021 and March 2022.
The Food Standards Agency in the U.K. said investigators "found a link" between the reported cases of salmonella poisoning and the Kinder Surprise eggs.
"We know that these particular products are popular with young children, especially as Easter approaches, so we would urge parents and guardians of children to check if any products already in their home are affected by this recall," Tina Potter, FSA Head of Incidents, said in a statement.
Potter added that the FSA is working with Ferrero to identify the precise cause of the outbreak.
Ferrero also issued a similar recall in France, though the company said it had received no complaints from consumers in the country. In addition to the Kinder Surprise eggs, the French recall also includes Kinder Schoko-Bons, Kinder Mini Eggs and Kinder Happy Moments mix. All of the products were produced at the Belgium facility, the company noted.
"We take food safety extremely seriously and we sincerely apologize for this matter," Ferrero said on its website.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include fever, dehydration, diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. Most people recover without specific treatment but others may need to be hospitalized.
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