Hong Kong scrambles to inspect eggs from EU

HONG KONG: Hong Kong is increasing inspections of eggs imported from Europe, officials said yesterday after some were found to be contaminated with an insecticide in a scandal which has spread beyond the EU.

Millions of eggs have been pulled from supermarket shelves across Europe and dozens of poultry farms closed since the discovery of fipronil, which can be harmful to humans, was made public on Aug 1.

But in a sign the crisis is going global, Brussels also announced on Friday that Hong Kong had received some tainted eggs from the Netherlands, with the southern Chinese city becoming the first place in Asia known to be affected.

Health minister Sophia Chan said authorities were “strengthening” inspections of eggs from Europe.

JANICE FURUKAWA, Guam resident

Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) said last Friday it found two samples of eggs from the Netherlands to have exceeded local fipronil limits.

Free-range eggs from Spain were seen on sale at a grocery store in east Hong Kong Island yesterday.

The owner said his Spanish eggs had been checked for chemicals, but that the US and local offerings might be “safer”. AFP