A Salmonella outbreak which has mainly sickened children and young people has been linked to Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs.
The UK has been worst-hit by the outbreak, with 57 confirmed infections so far.
Public Health Scotland said five of the 57 known cases are in Scotland.
Nearly 100 cases have been reported across Europe, in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. Italy is also investigating.
All known cases are in under-18s, and 60 per cent in children under five.
At least nine patients Europe-wide have been hospitalised, but no deaths have been reported.
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Chocolate was suspected due to findings from patient interviews, with genomic sequencing establishing that an identical strain of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium was causing the food poisoning.
The outbreak has been linked to chocolate products manufactured by Italy-based Ferrero.
The products affected are 20g Kinder Surprise eggs or the three-pack of eggs, all with a best-before date between July 11 2022 and October 7 2022.
Ferrero has recalled the products as a precautionary measure and people are being advised not to eat them.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the eggs have all been manufactured at the same factory in Belgium.
Other Ferrero products are not thought to be affected.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.
While most cases resolve in a few days, symptoms can be severe and lead to hospital admission, especially in the very young and those with weakened immune systems.
Dr. Lesley Larkin, surveillance lead, gastrointestinal pathogens and food safety at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “We are investigating a number of cases of Salmonella that have occurred across the UK alongside the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland and in conjunction with Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales and Public Health Agency Northern Ireland.
"Information gathered from those affected and microbiological data from whole genome sequencing has identified that the cases are linked.”
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Tina Potter, FSA head of incidents, said it was important that consumers follow the agency’s advice to avoid the risk of being ill due to Salmonella.
She said: “We know that these particular products are popular with young children, especially as Easter approaches, so we would urge parents and guardians of children to check if any products already in their home are affected by this recall.
"The food business involved has voluntarily carried out this product withdrawal and recall and we are working closely with them and their competent authorities to identify the precise cause of this outbreak.”
In a statement, Ferrero said none of its Kinder products released to market have tested positive for Salmonella, and no consumer complaints have been received.
It added: “We are working with retailers to ensure that these products are no longer available for purchase.
"If you have one of these products, you are advised not to consume it. We take food safety extremely seriously and we sincerely apologise for this matter.”
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