Salmonella scare hits world's biggest chocolate factory

Salmonella bacteria have been discovered in the world's biggest chocolate plant, run by Swiss giant Barry Callebaut in the Belgian town of Wieze, the firm said yesterday.

A company spokesman said production has been halted at the factory, which produces liquid chocolate for 73 companies making confectionaries.

The scare comes a few weeks after a case of chocolates contaminated with salmonella in the Ferrero factory in Belgium manufacturing Kinder chocolates.

The Wieze plant does not make chocolates to be sold directly to consumers, and the firm has no reason yet to believe that any contaminated goods made by clients have yet made it onto shop shelves.

Barry Callebaut supplies cocoa and chocolate products to many companies, including Hershey, Mondelez, Nestle or Unilever.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE