Swiss chocolate producer Barry Callebaut paused manufacturing at its plant in Wieze, Belgium, on Monday, the corporate stated in an announcement Thursday.
The Wieze plant is the largest chocolate manufacturing facility on the earth, in accordance with authorities tourism web site Go to Flanders.
“For Barry Callebaut meals security is paramount. Our sturdy meals security applications in place allowed us to rapidly determine lecithin because the supply of the contamination,” the corporate stated within the assertion, including that Belgian meals authorities (FAVV) have been knowledgeable of the incident.
Lecithin is a fatty substance used to bind collectively different components within the chocolate.
The corporate stated it has taken precautionary measures, together with recalling all merchandise manufactured because the time of testing. Manufacturing in Wieze will stay suspended till additional discover.
“We’re at present reaching out to all prospects who might have obtained impacted merchandise,” the assertion stated.
In an announcement Friday, Barry Callebaut stated no contaminated chocolate had “entered the retail meals chain.”
The corporate, which made nearly $eight billion in gross sales over the 2020-21 monetary yr, produces chocolate for different chocolate makers, together with small chocolatiers and big-name manufacturers, although it declined to supply its prospects names when requested by CNN Enterprise.
“Barry Callebaut will now take the time to proceed with the very diligent root trigger evaluation — maintaining the FAVV knowledgeable within the course of. When that’s accomplished the traces shall be cleaned and disinfected earlier than resuming the manufacturing course of,” the corporate stated.
— Anna Cooban contributed reporting.