The number of cases in France of contamination of eggs with fipronil continues to increase, according to the Ministry of Agriculture in a statement on Tuesday, August 15.
So far, 14 processing plants, two packaging centres and forty wholesalers have been involved in the scandal over eggs tainted with the banned insecticide.
Contaminated eggs are most probably still on sale.
“In the coming days, as analytical results become available, we will make public on the ministry’s website the name of all the contaminated products,” said Stéphane Travert, Minister of Agriculture.
“The marks, the lot number, their packaging and the date of placing on the market” will be specified. This will concern “batches tested and identified as contaminated with fipronil at levels above the permitted limit,” he said. The ministry has tried to clam fears by saying that the health risk is very low, partly due to French food habits.”
Eggs contaminated with fipronil have been reported in 17 European countries, and in Hong Kong.
Fipronil belongs to the phenylpyrazolechemical family and disrupts the insect central nervous system. Fipronil is used as the active ingredient in flea control for pets as well as agricultural pest control.