by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
https://pixabay.com/photos/chocolate-cocoa-beans-cocoa-sweets-2475759/
I was shocked to discover there’s been a recent UK outbreak of salmonella food poisoning, from eating infected chocolate!
We tend to think of salmonella from undercooked chicken and raw eggs – but chocolate? How can this be?
Salmonella outbreak
On 27th March 2022, the UK informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) that 151 cases of identical strains of salmonella, had been identified in 11 European countries and the UK. Scientists believed these infections originated from eating contaminated chocolate.
65 of these cases occurred in the UK. 65% were in children, and 43% required hospital admission, although there were no fatalities. Laboratory testing confirmed this to be due to infection with Salmonella Typhimurium.
The organism was identified in buttermilk tanks at the Ferrero Corporate plant in Belgium, between December 2021 and January 2022. As a result, all Kinder products (Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Surprise Maxi 100g and Kinder Schoko-Bons) manufactured during this time period were recalled.
Cases of salmonella infection were reported between December 2021 and March 2022. Of concern, this strain of salmonella was found to be resistant to 6 different antibiotics.
What are the symptoms of salmonellosis?
Symptoms of salmonella include fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhoea. Usually, symptoms start within 6-72 hours after eating contaminated food, and last 2-7 days. For most healthy adults, salmonellosis does not represent a serious infection and can be managed at home with simple supportive measures. However, in susceptible groups, such as children and the elderly, or those with a weakened immune system, the infection can be severe and occasionally life-threatening.
It is far more common for salmonella infections to arise from unsafe handling of food. Regular handwashing before, after, and during the preparation of food is essential. Plus, keep raw meat and poultry away from other foods to avoid contamination.
How would salmonella be present in chocolate?
There have been previous outbreaks of salmonella in chocolate. Between 2000 and 2020, 5 outbreaks were reported in the USA, mostly due to salmonella and E.coli. Chocolate can become infected at any stage of the manufacturing process.
In 2006 Cadbury Schweppes reported a salmonella outbreak in the UK, which turned out to be due to a leaking water pipe, dripping onto milk chocolate during the manufacturing process.
Salmonella survives in chocolate, as it thrives in a low-water, high-fat environment, and can be present for many years.
Cocoa beans
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which are grown in Brazil, Indonesia, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Each cocoa pod contains about 50 beans, and when harvested, the beans are left in the sun to dry out. Leaves, insects and animal droppings can contaminate them. They are then cleaned, dried, and roasted at high temperatures. They are then shelled, ground, and mixed with other products such as milk, to create chocolate.
Cocoa farmers are obliged to meet farming standards, but unfortunately, this may not always be the case. There is always a risk of contamination from rocks, twigs, or heavy metals, from the use of fertilisers and pesticides. Unclean workers’ hands, unsanitary baskets, and infected equipment are always a risk. Cocoa beans are highly susceptible to fungal infections.
Roasting the beans correctly at high temperatures is critical. Eating raw chocolate, or unroasted chocolate is a high risk for salmonella.
Dairy products
Salmonella should not be a problem in milk chocolate so long as the product is made with pasteurised milk. Unpasteurised milk is high risk for listeria, E.coli, brucella, salmonella, and campylobacter, and can result in serious infections, and even death. In the pasteurisation process, the milk is heated for long enough to eradicate these organisms.
Food safety and chocolate
Thankfully, food poisoning outbreaks from chocolate are rare. However, we need to be aware of the risks.
- Buy chocolate from well-known manufacturers.
- Don’t eat raw or unroasted chocolate.
- Eat chocolate soon after purchasing – certainly before its ‘best before’ date.
- Don’t’ eat chocolate the looks, smells, or tastes funny.
- Don’t keep chocolate in the fridge – it is meant to be stored in a cool, dry place, at around 15°C to 18°C.
- Check the product label – although beware. In one study, 51 out of 88 chocolate bars that did not have milk listed as an ingredient, were found to contain milk when they were tested! Factories that make dark chocolate also make milk chocolate, and often other different types of chocolate, meaning there is a high risk of cross contamination with nuts, peanuts, and dried fruits.
If you have any reason to think you may have become ill from eating infected food, such as chocolate, you should report this to the Food Standards Agency.
