Contaminated eggs: no danger for public health

This was confirmed by the federal Public Health Department. The contaminated eggs will be demolished, while some battery hen sheds remain closed.

The Food Safety Agency (FAVV) started an investigation in June. One company reported itself that its own analyses showed that its eggs were contaminated with Fipronil. This is a banned substance, a kind of insecticide, used to kill parasites living on animals.

It’s only moderately toxic, though high doses could have a bad effect on humans, impacting on the kidneys, the liver or the thyroid gland. Research is now going on whether contaminated eggs could have reached the food chain in Belgium, and which other companies may be using the banned substance illegally, without reporting this to the authorities.

In some shops, eggs were taken from the shelves. But even if eggs would be contaminated, the contamination is well below the European safety standard, the FAVV underlines.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica