Supplier to the Queen caught in toxic egg scandal

Foodspeed, which holds a Royal Warrant to the Queen, is one of five companies forced to withdraw liquid egg products by the Food Standards Agency.

It is feared the eggs may have been contaminated with a pesticide mistakenly used in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Foodspeed, based in Hayes, Middlesex, is listed as a ‘familyowned, independent company exclusively serving the hotel, restaurant, bakery and catering trade’ by the Royal Warrant Holders’ Association.

Its warrant describes it as a ‘supplier of fresh milk and dairy products’ to the Queen and it says on the warrant holders website: ‘ Our clients include the Royal Palaces and many of London’s leading chefs.

‘We source the best local and British produce from wellknown brands to artisan producers, working in partnership with trusted suppliers to bring our clients top quality, consistent products every time.’

Last night, Buckingham Palace would not comment on whether liquid egg products – sold in cartons and used to make scrambled eggs, quiches, cakes and meringues – are purchased from Foodspeed for use in royal kitchens.

But palace sources said staff would ‘always take note of any advisory on food safety’.

The 14 affected liquid egg products are being sold in Britain through five companies – Foodspeed, Henrysons of Gloucestershire, Braehead Foods in Kilmarnock, SFD (GB) of Slough in Berkshire, and Richard Wellock and Sons, of Nelson, Lancashire.

The withdrawn products all come from a single Belgian company, Cocovite.

A Henrysons spokesman said: ‘The products are not on sale to the public in retail outlets but are purchased by manufacturers and small caterers.’ None of the other companies, nor Cocovite, were available for comment.

The affected products are not used in mass food production and are therefore not in foods on supermarket shelves.

Millions of fresh eggs have been pulled from shelves across Europe after the pesticide fipronil was used illegally on farms in Holland and Belgium. Last week, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons removed salads, sandwiches and sandwich fillers that used eggs.

Three days ago, Adelie Foods of Hounslow, west London, which supplies millions of sandwiches and 250,000 salad packs a week to shops and cafes, was forced to withdraw tens of thousands of products.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating whether contaminated eggs were used by UK food manufacturers. Yesterday, it reiterated that it was ‘very unlikely’ there was any risk to public health from the scandal and that fresh eggs on sale in the UK remain unaffected.

British eggs are being tested for fipronil, and all initial results have been clear, it added. FSA chairman Heather Hancock said: ‘Our advice remains clear – there’s no need to change how you buy or consume eggs.

‘ We are responding very quickly to any new information, to ensure that any products left that contain egg from the affected farms are withdrawn immediately.

‘ We’re doing this because fipronil is not authorised for use in food-producing animals, not because we are concerned about any risk to health.’

‘Responding very quickly’

A FOOD company that supplies Buckingham Palace and leading restaurants has become the latest to be caught up in the toxic eggs scandal.