fipronil

The fipronil contaminated egg scandal is spreading to more and more countries. Since it was discovered that the toxic pesticide was used illegally in the Netherlands and Belgium a few months ago, 45 countries found fipronil in their eggs and egg products, the Telegraaf reports.

Dutch food safety authority NVWA is facing fierce criticism in the Tweede Kamer on Thursday. The parliamentarians have nothing good to say about the NVWA's actions in dealing with millions of Dutch eggs being contaminated by toxic insecticide fipronil. In summary, the MPs accused the NVWA of not communicating well, not responding adequately to an anonymous tip about the contamination and having an inadequate setup to deal with such a crisis, NU.nl reports.

The French Ministry of Agriculture published its first list of Dutch products to be recalled from French supermarkets because they contain toxic insecticide fipronil. The list consists of 17 types of waffles, NOS reports.

A tip the Dutch food safety authority NVWA received about the use of toxic fipronil on Dutch poultry farms in November last year, specifically mentioned Barneveld pest control company ChickFriend, Public Health Minister Edith Schippers confirmed in a letter to parliament, ANP reports.

State Secretary Martijn van Dam of Economic Affairs is stepping down on September 1st to go to his new job at NPO, whether or not there's a new cabinet. His decision to go through with his planned departure despite the raging fipronil contaminated egg crisis, for which he partially carries responsibility, is leading to criticism from other politicians. Though the poultry sector itself is not sad to see him go, AD reports. 

The European Commission wants to organize a summit type meeting for EU food safety minsters about the crisis surrounding eggs being contaminated with toxic insecticide fipronil, EU Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said in a statement. He wants this meeting to put an end to the infighting and accusations, RTL Nieuws reports. 

The Dutch and Belgian authorities are raiding several addresses in both countries on Thursday as part of the investigation into fipronil contamination at numerous poultry farms and their eggs. This is a joint action from the Dutch and Belgian authorities, a spokesperson for the Dutch Public Prosecutor said to the Telegraaf, though she would not say exactly where the raids are done.

Toxic insecticide fipronil was discovered in Dutch eggs in November 2016 already, Belgian Agriculture Minister Denis Ducarme said in an emergency meeting about the fipronil crisis in Brussels on Wednesday. He also accused the Netherlands of taking too long to share this information, NU.nl reports.

Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA decided to test chicken meat for fipronil after all. Admin from company ChickFriend showed that the company used the toxic insecticide at a number of meat companies too, AD reports. 

ChickFriend is considered the source of the fipronil contamination in the Netherlands. 

German supermarket chain Aldi is removing all eggs from the shelves across the country because of fipronil found in eggs from some Dutch poultry farms, the supermarket chain announced on Friday. According to Aldi, this is a "precautionary measure", ANP reports.

Agricultural organization LTO Nederland is furious that the Dutch food and consumer product safety authority NVWA advised consumers to show restraint in eating eggs until the results of an investigation into eggs' fipronil content are in. "That is a terrible and unnecessary statement", Eric Huber, chairman of the poultry farm department, said to Radio 1 Journaal on Wednesday. "It leads to unnecessary unrest among consumers."