Toxic substance in eggs triggers public health warning

Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA issued a warning to consumers not to eat eggs with the company code X-NL-40155XX. The content of toxic fipronil in these eggs is so high that they pose an acute danger to public health, the NVWA said, NU.nl reports.

The Xs in the code represent numbers. The code will be stamped on the egg. The NVWA is recalling the affected eggs from the shelves, but consumers who already bought eggs with this code are advised to throw them away.

The NVWA also advises consumers not to eat eggs with the following codes: X-NL-43113XX, X-NL-43326XX, X-NL-43835XX, X-NL-42766XX, X-NL-42071XX, X-NL-43514XX, X-NL-41679XX, X-NL-43879XX, X-NL-43640XX, X-NL-42659XX. The fipronil content in these eggs is higher than the daily allowable amount for long-term consumption for children.

Fipronil is an insecticide used against lice, ticks and fleas. It is also used in flea collars for cats and dogs. The World Health Organization considers fipronil to be "moderately toxic" to humans. In large quantities it can damage the liver, kidneys and thyroid gland.

The NVWA issued this warning after discovering last week that a pest control company specializing in fighting lice used fipronil at a large number of poultry companies in the Netherlands over the pat year. Fipronil is banned in poultry farming. The NVWA halted production at 180 poultry companies and ordered the involved companies to recall their eggs.

According to industry association for the egg sector OVONED, no contaminated eggs were sent to stores since July 22nd. OVONED believes that the poultry sector fell victim to a fraudulent act in which the affected farmers played no part.

The Public Prosecutor launched an investigation against the pest control company.