Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira is actively investigating the origin of products containing eggs amid the Fipronil scandal, reporting that one lot of whole egg powder in storage in Finland was discovered to contain traces of Fipronil.
According to a press release from Evira, the affected egg powder product had been imported from Denmark, while the raw materials of the product were from Central Europe. The product had not been used in food, and the company had itself immediately banned the use of the product.
The emphasis on scrutinizing egg products has intensified since late July, after the Dutch food and consumer product safety authority, NVWA, recalled eggs from seven producers when traces of the pesticide Fipronil, which is illegal to use on poultry. Since that time, NVWA stopped production at about 200 other farms.
The Finnish food safety agency stated that almost all eggs that are marketed in Finland are of a domestic origin. Evira carries out residue control on Finnish eggs on a regular basis in accordance with a control program Evira has the capability to test eggs for Fipronil.
Gudelines have been established for companies and control authorities to ensure the safety of eggs and foods containing eggs as an ingredient. Those guidelines are made in accordance with the European Commission’s limit values concerning Fipronil, and if the products in question are found to be in excess of those limit values, the product must be destroyed or returned.
“Operators who import, produce, process, manufacture and distribute food products are responsible for ensuring that the products are safe and in compliance with regulatory requirements. In-house control is part of the day-to-day operation of companies and the related requirements apply to all food hazards, not only to Fipronil,” stated Dr. Leena Räsänen, director of Food Safety Department at Evira.
