5 questions about insecticide fipronil in eggs
Fipronil was found in eggs in July. This substance can be harmful to humans. Poultry farmers should therefore not actually use it. Can you still eat eggs safely?
1. What is Fipronil?
Fipronil is an insecticide that kills insects. For example, it is in products against fleas, mites and ticks in dogs and cats. Farmers can also use it against red mite or red mite in chickens. These parasites are common in laying hens. The bird mites suck blood from the hens, which makes the hens stressed, pecking each other more and laying fewer eggs.
2. Why is fipronil dangerous?
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) indicates that the World Health Organization considers fipronil to be ‘moderately toxic’ to humans. In large amounts, fipronil can cause damage to the kidneys, liver or thyroid. Poultry farms are therefore not allowed to use fipronil in animals intended for the food chain, such as chickens.
3. What measures does the NVWA take?
In July 2017, fipronil was found at laying hen farms in the Netherlands. As a precautionary measure, the NVWA is now investigating other laying hen companies where fipronil may also have been used. Those companies are blocked: they are not allowed to dispose of eggs, chickens or manure. If fipronil is found, the eggs of these companies are removed from the shops and destroyed.
4. Is it safe to eat eggs?
The NVWA maintains a list of egg codes that contain a fipronil content that is too high. These eggs are taken from the shops. If you have eggs at home, check the code on the eggs. Do not eat the eggs with these codes anymore, but throw them away. The substance does not disappear from the eggs from cooking or baking. You can find out which eggs you should throw away on the NVWA website. The NVWA is still testing eggs, so they may add to this list in the near future.
For other eggs, the recommended amounts recommended by the Nutrition Center apply. That is, 1-2 eggs per week for children up to 4 years and 2-3 eggs per week for anyone over 4 years.
5. What About Organic Eggs?
All eggs from laying hen companies (including organic, free-range or free-range eggs) where the product has been used may contain fipronil. So check the code on the eggs.
List of egg codes of eggs with too high a fipronil content from the NVWA.
