Liquid egg from German farms where animal feed has been contaminated with dioxins has entered the UK in processed products destined for human food.
Around 14 tonnes of the liquid egg are believed to have been exported to the UK but are not said to be a risk to human health.
The alert came after it was discovered that around 3,000 tonnes of animal feed contaminated with toxic dioxins were sent to more than 1,000 poultry and pig farms in Germany, which were then exported to the Netherlands. The eggs were then mixed with non-contaminated eggs to make pasteurised liquid egg and transported to the UK.
The dioxin was discovered in late December, but the extent of the problem was only revealed this week when German officials said 3,000 tonnes of feed had been affected. The problem originated when oils intended for biofuel became mixed with oil destined for animal feed.
In an update issued yesterday (6 January), the UK’s Food Standards Agency said: “The mixing of the eggs will have diluted the levels of dioxins and they are not thought to be a risk to health. The FSA is currently liaising with the industry and will provide further updates as information becomes available.”
The European Commission said it is “closely monitoring the situation with the German authorities” and information related to the contamination incident will be “immediately transmitted through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)”.
