Cadbury to be prosecuted over salmonella contamination

London:  Chocolates and confectionery major Cadbury is likely to be prosecuted under British environmental laws over the salmonella contaminated chocolates scam. Last year, more than a million Cadbury bars were taken out of the shops across Britain over fears that they may have been contaminated.

Officials are said to be close to finalising the lengthy and complex process of interviewing and evidence gathering. They have been investigating the likely cause of the original contamination, which could be leaky factory pipes and questionable hygiene standards.

They have also been trying to find out why the company did not alert Government health authorities like the Food Standards Agency and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) after finding it had a salmonella problem at its Marlbrook plant near Leominster in Herefordshire in January last year.

The company only admitted to the contamination after an alert from the HPA six months later.