Fourteen further Belgian poultry operations have been brought to a standstill by AFSCA. This was indicated on Friday by the federal agency for food chain safety. Products from such operations may not be marketed after Fipronil, a prohibited insecticide, was found in eggs. Last week, around twenty sites ceased operating for the present time.
AFSCA has checked all Belgian farms breeding laying hens, since the Fipronil scandal came to light at the beginning of the summer. This insecticide which is prohibited from use in the food chain was found in eggs in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as around fifteen other European countries.
In total, 86 Belgian businesses were brought to a standstill, and their eggs withdrawn from sale, even if the doses of Fipronil detected did not place public health in danger. In the meantime, 72 farms have received authorisation to resume normal activities, and 14 still sit idle. The Walloon Minister of Agriculture, René Colln, stated on Thursday that two farms were brought to a standstill in Wallonia.
The agency continues to supervise the sector so as to see that contaminated eggs are not found on the shelves in shops. Some 1,000 checks have already been carried out in the distribution and the hotel and catering sectors, which have given rise to around ten police reports. Players in both sectors who are not compliant with the rules risk fines.
AFSCA is also monitoring which non-compliant processed products made using eggs, such as waffles or mayonnaise, are withdrawn from sale.
The Brussels Times
