Eggs stripped from supermarket shelves as paranoia spreads in Europe over contamination
Since July 20, Dutch farmers have destroyed millions of eggs and culled about 1 million hens
Experts said the risk of getting sick from eating an egg tainted with insecticide is low. But that has not stopped stores in Germany and the Netherlands from stripping them from supermarket shelves, or prevented other European food safety agencies from issuing warnings.
The story about the illegal use of the insecticide Fipronil in spray to rid hens of ticks, fleas and lice has gained traction across Europe. Fears about the safety of an everyday food staple along with some less-than-optimal public information have combined to cast a shadow of suspicion over the humble egg.
Amsterdam shopper Karla Spreekmeester said on Friday that she only buys eggs from stores selling organic food products.
“I take it seriously,” she said of the Dutch warning. “I’m not scared that I’ll collapse if I eat the wrong egg, but if you can prevent something.”
Fipronil is commonly used by veterinary surgeons to treat fleas and ticks in pets, but is banned by the European Union for treating animals like chickens that are part of the human food chain.
The European Union (EU) said contaminated eggs have been found at producers in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. It’s believed the Fipronil got into the food chain when it was illegally added to a product used to spray poultry.