Lidl US advent calendars recalled for chocolate that may contain salmonella
Some chocolate advent calendars won’t be able to serve their purpose counting down the days to Christmas – over fears they’re contaminated with salmonella.
The Lidl supermarket chain announced a voluntarily recall of the 8.4-oz Favorina branded advent calendar that has premium chocolate with a creamy filling.
Possibly affected calendars were on the shelves at Lidl stores from October 12 to December 5, and had the barcode number 4056489516965. The product is shaped like a house and has an image of Santa Claus with a reindeer sled full of presents.
‘This issue was found during routine testing, which Lidl performs on an ongoing basis to help ensure safe and quality products for our customers,’ stated the company on Tuesday.
‘Lidl US has received no reports or complaints of illness related to this product to date.’
Salmonella infections can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. It can be a serious condition and fatal for elderly people, children and people with weak immune systems.
Customers who purchased advent calendars are asked not to consume the chocolate and return them for refunds, with or without a receipt.
‘Lidl US takes the health and safety of its customers as its top priority,’ the chain stated. ‘If customers have purchased this product, they should not consume the product, and immediately return it to their nearest Lidl store for a full refund.’
The German supermarket chain notified the US Food and Drug Administration and removed advent calendars from its stores.
Lidl, which established its US headquarters in Virginia in 2015, runs more than 12,000 stores across the globe. It operates in nine US states: Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, as well as Washington, DC.
Anyone with questions can contact Lidl customer care.
Salmonella causes about 1.35million infections annually in the US, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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