People struck down with salmonella after eating Cadbury's chocolate bars
10/07/2006
I would like to thank you and your colleagues for the kindness shown to myself and my wife. I class myself as very fortunate to have met such kind and caring people.
Raymond, Hertfordshire
Irwin Mitchell is acting for a number of people who became ill with Salmonella after eating Cadbury's chocolate bars.
Cadbury re-called one million chocolate bars in June after fears were raised over Salmonella contamination.
An investigation by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), local authorities and public health organisations is being carried out following the outbreak.
The Health Protection Agency has identified 31 people who have so far been infected with Salmonella Montevideo, which can cause diarrhoea, vomiting fever, chills and headaches.
One adult, one child and one infant have been hospitalised with the infection.
Cadbury has said it will improve contamination testing at its Marlbrook plant following the salmonella scare, blaming a leaking pipe for the outbreak.
Affected chocolate bars include Dairy Milk Turkish, Dairy Milk Caramel and Dairy Milk Mint bars, other Dairy Milk bars, Dairy Milk Buttons Easter Egg and the Freddo bar.
The Independent Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) said that Cadbury's contamination testing was out of date, and that testing and risk assessment had not been good enough.
Cadbury's failed to introduce check for leaks in equipment, or that cooking temperatures were high enough.
Specialist personal injury solicitor Sallie Booth said:
"This type of bug is extremely dangerous, especially to the most vulnerable in society. As chocolate is targeted mainly at children the measures taken by Cadburys should have been ultra rigorous."
"We would encourage anyone who has been to see their GP or has been hospitalised with this strain of Salmonella after consuming Cadburys products to get in touch as soon as possible."
One lady was kept on a hospital isolation ward for five days after eating a Cadbury's caramel bar, which showed the presence of Salmonella Montevideo, the same rare strain identified in Cadbury's chocolate.
She was rushed to hospital where she was put on a drip and given antibiotics. She describes what happened:
"My legs went weak and I started finding it hard to breath. My heart was racing and slowing down as if it was going to stop."
Salmonella - a type of bacteria, usually found in poultry, eggs, unprocessed milk, meat and water. Salmonella bacteria attacks the stomach and intestines.
In more serious cases, the bacteria may enter the lymph tracts, which carry water and protein to the blood, and the blood itself.
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