Switzerland Publishes Two Recalls on October 9: Mold in Fruit Gummies and a Broken Cold Chain in a Soup and a Macaroni Dish

Switzerland's Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO/BLV) published on October 9, on its portal of recalls and public warnings, two recalls carried out in collaboration with cantonal authorities. The first affects fruit gummies that a discount store chain is withdrawing from the Swiss market because it was found that mold can form before the end of their shelf life. The second corresponds to a soup and a macaroni dish, both refrigerated products, which a supermarket chain is withdrawing because the required refrigeration temperature was exceeded at some points.

In the case of the gummies, the company's statement indicates that the product is not suitable for consumption and asks not to eat it, to return it to a branch and to receive a refund without needing to present the receipt. The notice from the Swiss authorities adds to equivalent communications that were already circulating in other European markets.

For the soup and the macaroni, the company explains that, as the necessary temperature was exceeded at some points, premature spoilage of the product is possible, and asks customers not to consume it under any circumstances. Only products from a single batch sold at specific branches of the chain are affected; the chain's other items are not affected. The price is refunded without a receipt and the customer can return the product at any of the stores.

The two cases recall that not all recalls are due to an identified pathogen: mold in confectionery can appear when water activity or packaging favors fungal growth during storage, and a break in the cold chain in ready-to-heat products can allow the multiplication of spoilage microorganisms and, potentially, of pathogens. In both cases, microbiological control of the finished product and verification of temperature during transport and display are the barriers that prevent the product from reaching the consumer.