Toxic eggs were imported into UK from Europe

THOUSANDS of eggs contaminated with a toxic pesticide have been imported to the UK from Europe.

Millions of boxes were recalled from shops and warehouses on the Continent last week following contamination with Fipronil.

They are believed to have originated on farms in the Netherlands where the insecticide was inappropriately used in cleaning products on chicken farms.

Fipronil is moderately toxic but can damage organs if ingested in large amounts, according to the World Health Organisation. The Food Standards Agency yesterday confirmed 21,000 of the eggs came into the UK and are likely to have already been eaten.

The watchdog said: ‘The number of eggs involved is very small and the risk to public health is very low, but we are urgently investigating the distribution of these eggs in the UK. We have no evidence that eggs laid in the UK are contaminated or that Fipronil has been used inappropriately in the UK.’

Belgian food authorities identified the contamination in June but foreign counterparts were only alerted last week.