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Salmonella scare sparks Hershey recall
Fears of contamination at a Canadian chocolate factory prompts voluntary action.



A variety of Hershey chocolate products and candies in Canada were voluntarily recalled Sunday because of fears of salmonella contamination at a factory.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the products, Hershey said in a statement.

Salmonella generally causes a nonfatal, diarrhea-causing illness. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever and headache. There are about 2,500 types of salmonella.

Hershey brand chocolate bars, chocolate chips, Oh Henry! bars, Reese's peanut butter cups and Cherry Blossom sweets were among the affected products.

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

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.

It was unclear where in Canada the affected products may have ended up, and it was not immediately known how long that will take to find out, said Marie-Andree Lefebvre, a CFIA spokeswoman. The recall did not affect Hershey products sold in the United States, the CFIA said.

The recall involves chocolate produced at the Smiths Falls, Ontario, 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.

Hershey officials did not immediately return telephone calls Sunday.

Production at the plant in Smiths Falls was shut down last week, and the company did not say when it will resume.

Hershey (HSY, news, msgs), based in Hershey, Pa., is the largest candy maker in the United States.