Wide variety of Hershey chocolate products recalled because salmonella fears

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This article was published 12/11/2006 (7260 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (CP) – A variety of Hershey chocolate products and candies were voluntarily recalled Sunday because of fears of salmonella contamination at a Smith Falls, Ont., factory.

There have been no illnesses reported, but the company is concerned about the potential of salmonella contamination at the company’s plant in Smiths Falls, Ont.

Stephanie Moritz, a spokeswoman for Hershey said that the contamination was from “an externally sourced ingredient” and had been found in “a minor ingredient used in chocolate making.”

Hershey brand chocolate bars, chocolate chips, Oh Henry! bars, Reese Peanut Butter Cups, and Cherry Blossom sweets were among the affected products.

None of the recalled products were produced for Halloween or Christmas products.

Speaking from Ottawa, Moritz said the recall had only affected a limited number of products, “Most of the products in question are either already in our control or are currently being retrieved from our customers.”

Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials said they were told by Hershey that it doesn’t appear there was a widespread delivery of the affected products to stores.

“The majority of the product is still in their distribution system, in their warehouses and at their facility, there has been a limited amount of product that has been released,” said Garfield Balsom, a CFIA spokesman, in an interview.

It was not clear where in Canada the affected products may have ended up and it’s not known how long that will take to find out, said Marie-Andree Lefebvre, another CFIA spokeswoman.

“You don’t always have all the answers, but you need to do something,” she said in a telephone interview from Ottawa.

“That’s why we decided… to inform the public. Everybody eats chocolate, that’s why it’s a big recall.”

The recall involves chocolate produced at the Smiths Falls factory between Oct. 15 and Nov. 10, Lefebvre said.

The recalled chocolate and candy can be identified by date codes found on the back of each package – the affected date codes range from 6417 to 6455.

Consumers should check codes on chocolate bars they purchase as not every product on store shelves are affected.

“For example, it’s not all the Oh Henry! bars that are affected by this recall,” Lefebvre said.

The Hershey plant in Smiths Falls opened in June’63 and produces 45,000 kilograms of chocolate a year.

Production at the factory, which employs 500 people, was shut down last week with no word on when it will resume.

Consumers who have purchased the items in question can contact Hershey at 1-800-468-1714.

The affected products are:

Chipits Milk Chocolate Chips – 270 gram

Hershey Creamy Milk Chocolate with Almonds – 43 gram

Hershey Creamy Milk Chocolate – 45 gram

Oh Henry! bar – 62.5 gram, 62.5g / 4 bars,–5 gram

Oh Henry! Bites –0 gram

Oh Henry! Bites – 60 gram

Hershey Chipits Semi-Sweet – 350 gram

Hershey Chocolate Chips – 2 kg

Hershey Chipits Mini – 300 gram

Hershey Chocolate Chips – 10 kg, 175 gram, 500 gram

Hershey Chipits Chocolate Chip Bulk – 10 kg

Hershey Chipits Semi-Sweet Mint Chocolate Chips – 300 gram

Hershey Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – 300 gram

Hershey’s’s Special Dark Chocolate – 45 gram

Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate with Almonds – 43 gram

Reese Peanut Butter Cups – 51 gram, 68 gram 51 gram / 4 bars

Lowney Cherry Blossom – 45 gram

Glosette Peanuts – 45 gram

Glosette Almond – 42 gram

Glosette Raisin – 50 gram,–5 gram

Hershey’s Chocolate Shell Topping – 177 ml

Eat-More Dark Toffee Peanut Chew – 56 gram, 56 gram / 4 bars

Lowney Bridge Mix – 52 gram, 340 gram

Hershey Assorted 16 count – 728 gram

Hershey Assorted 50 count – 2.5 kg

Nut Roll – 5 kg

Hershey Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip – 10 kg