Number of contaminated eggs found in the UK

08-Aug-2017 - Last updated on 09-Aug-2017 at 12:13 GMT

Contamination scare: a small number of eggs containing Fipronil have been distributed to the UK

A small number of eggs containing an insecticide have been distributed to the UK from the farms affected in the Netherlands, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Fipronil has been used inappropriately in cleaning products on Dutch chicken farms and is not authorised for use as a veterinary medicine or pesticide around food-producing animals.

It is a broad-spectrum insecticide and is used as the active ingredient in flea control products for pets and home roach traps as well as field pest control.

Distribution investigation

The FSA is urgently investigating the distribution of these eggs in the UK and is working closely with the businesses that have received eggs from affected farms.

Investigations to date indicate that any affected products are no longer on the shelves.

The number of eggs involved represents around 0.0001% of the eggs imported into the UK each year.

The FSA’s risk assessment indicated that as part of a normal healthy diet, this low level of potential exposure is unlikely to be a risk to public health and there is no need for consumers to be concerned.

Preventing risks

It advises that there is no need for people to change the way they consume or cook eggs or products containing eggs.

The Government has already taken action to prevent any risk to UK consumers by adding Fipronil to its robust surveillance programme in UK farms.

The FSA has no evidence to suggest that eggs laid in the UK are contaminated or that Fibronil has been used inappropriately in the UK and more than three-quarters (85%) of the eggs consumed in the UK are laid here.

Meanwhile, foodservice supplier Brusco released a range of ready-made soft-boiled eggs last month (July) in a bid to help pubs cook quickly on a large scale.