Chocolate Advent calendars recalled due to salmonella concerns

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Retailer chain Lidl is voluntarily recalling its “8.4 oz Favorina branded Advent Calendar (Premium Chocolate with a Creamy Filling)” due to possible salmonella contamination.
• The affected chocolate Advent calendars were sold at Lidl from Oct. 12, 2022 until Dec. 5, 2022, and have a “Best if Used By” 2023.
• Lidl recommends not eating the chocolates and returning them to a Lidl store for a full refund.

Discount retailer Lidl U.S. is voluntarily recalling its 8.4 oz Favorina branded Advent calendar due to potential salmonella contamination, according to a notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 06, 2022.

The recall was issued after salmonella was detected during routine testing conducted by Lidl. The discount grocer says it conducts testing “on an ongoing basis to help ensure safe and quality products” and that the health and safety of its customers are a top priority.

The affected chocolate Advent calendars were sold at Lidl from Oct. 12, 2022 until Dec. 5, 2022, and have a “Best if Used By” date of 2023, according to the recall notice. 

Lidl said it “regrets any inconvenience related to this voluntary recall” but that its “Quality Assurance Department works around-the-clock to ensure that all products on our shelves meet the high-quality standards that we would expect when feeding our own families.”  

Shoppers who purchased the product should “immediately” return it to the nearest Lidl store and ask for a full refund, the company said. 

No reports or complaints of illnesses related to the recalled product have been recorded to date. However, salmonella can lead to serious and even fatal infections in individuals with weakened immune systems, including young children, and frail or elderly people.

A healthy individual might experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain if infected. Though rarely, the organism can get into the bloodstream and cause serious illnesses such as arterial infections like infected aneurysms, endocarditis, and arthritis, according to the recall notice.

Source: ABC News