Orion Recalls Popular Custard Pie Over Staph Bacteria Contamination

Orion Corporation, one of the oldest confectionery and snack manufacturers in South Korea, has recalled its custard cream pie products. The company issued the recall after the country’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety ordered it to do so.

According to The Korea Times, the custard cream products were manufactured at Orion’s factories in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. The MFDS said this week that it ordered Orion Corporation to recall some products after the harmful bacteria called staphylococcus aureus (staph) were found in the snack.

Effects of Staph Infection

The Food and Drug Ministry said this type of bacteria can lead to food poisoning. On top of this, staph may also cause various illnesses ranging from minor to life-threatening effects. Some of the effects can be minor skin infections to severe ailments like meningitis, toxic shock syndrome, and pneumonia.

For these health risks, Orion has been ordered to recall and stop the sale of its Custard snack item. The MDFS said it detected the bacteria in the particular product after randomly checking five Custard products for quality control.

Details of Recalled Batch

The agency said it had examined samples of 12 individually packed Custard creams. This batch was produced on Dec. 12, 2023, and bears the expiration date of June 21, 2024. The result showed that five of the sampled products were contaminated with the staph bacteria.

It was reported that the affected Custards are part of the 4,000 packs that were made in the mentioned manufacturing plant. This batch has a total weight of around 1,318 kilograms.

In response to the recall order, the MDFS said that Orion informed the ministry that it would recall a portion first. The company said it will initially pull out a batch weighing 600 kilos.

“The North Chungcheong Cheongju government has taken measures to swiftly recall the products,” Korea Joongang Daily quoted the Food and Drug Safety Ministry as saying in a statement. “Consumers who purchased the product should not consume it and return it to the place of purchase.”

Photo by: Orion Website