Hong Kong food safety authority follows up on Dutch eggs found with pesticide

Hong Kong's food safety authority said that it has found two samples of eggs imported from the Netherlands containing a pesticide at levels exceeding the local legal limit.

According to the Center for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, it had learned of a notice issued by the Netherlands authorities that certain eggs produced in the country were detected as containing a pesticide, fipronil, at levels that might cause adverse health effects.

It collected two samples of the eggs from local outlets for testing, and the test results showed that both samples contained fipronil at levels exceeding the local legal limit.

According to information and codes of the eggs concerned published by the Dutch authorities, investigation by the CFS showed that the affected batches of eggs not fit for consumption as advised by the Dutch authorities have not been imported into Hong Kong.

But for the sake of prudence, the CFS collected two samples of Dutch eggs of a different batch at the retail level for testing.

The CFS has informed the vendors concerned of the irregularities and requested the trade to stop sale and remove from shelves the above-mentioned batch of the product immediately, said a spokesman for the CFS, adding that it has also instructed the importer to initiate a recall.

The CFS has also taken a precautionary measure with effect from Friday that all poultry eggs imported from the Netherlands will be held for testing and will only be released to the market for sale upon satisfactory test results.

The CFS said it will maintain close liaison with the Dutch authorities concerned and the trade, and will take appropriate follow-up action with regard to the latest developments of the incident.