This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-12133402
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Dioxin threat eggs from Germany baked in UK cakes | Dioxin threat eggs from Germany baked in UK cakes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Eggs from German farms where animal feed has been contaminated by dioxins have been used in some British cakes and quiches, the BBC has learned. | Eggs from German farms where animal feed has been contaminated by dioxins have been used in some British cakes and quiches, the BBC has learned. |
| The EU executive said 14 tonnes of eggs in liquid form had been exported to the UK but it was unclear if those eggs were contaminated. | The EU executive said 14 tonnes of eggs in liquid form had been exported to the UK but it was unclear if those eggs were contaminated. |
| The UK's Food Standards Agency said two UK manufacturers had used the eggs. | The UK's Food Standards Agency said two UK manufacturers had used the eggs. |
| It said there was a very low risk to human health, because the eggs were diluted with other products. | It said there was a very low risk to human health, because the eggs were diluted with other products. |
| Following the distribution of eggs from the now-closed German plant to the Netherlands, they were mixed with non-contaminated eggs to make pasteurised liquid egg. | |
| This product has been distributed to the UK. | This product has been distributed to the UK. |
| The cakes and quiches, sold in High Street supermarkets, have a short shelf-life, BBC Radio 4's You and Yours reported. | The cakes and quiches, sold in High Street supermarkets, have a short shelf-life, BBC Radio 4's You and Yours reported. |
| The FSA said it did not have a "definitive list" of the supermarkets that sold the products, but Tesco and Morrisons were two of them. | |
| The shipment of potentially contaminated liquid egg came into the UK from the Netherlands in December, so the products are likely to have been eaten by now. | The shipment of potentially contaminated liquid egg came into the UK from the Netherlands in December, so the products are likely to have been eaten by now. |
| Kensey Foods in Cornwall and Memory Lane Cakes Ltd in Cardiff were named as the manufacturers by the FSA. | Kensey Foods in Cornwall and Memory Lane Cakes Ltd in Cardiff were named as the manufacturers by the FSA. |
| In a statement, the FSA said: "There is no food safety risk from eating these products. The majority of products will have been sold and most have passed their 'use by' or 'best before' dates. | In a statement, the FSA said: "There is no food safety risk from eating these products. The majority of products will have been sold and most have passed their 'use by' or 'best before' dates. |
| "Supermarkets are removing the small amount of products that are still in date." | "Supermarkets are removing the small amount of products that are still in date." |
| Finsbury Food, the parent company of Memory Lane Cakes Ltd, said it had been notified one of its sites had received a batch of liquid egg which contained a "small percentage of eggs" from a farm in Germany "potentially affected by a dioxin contaminated feed incident". | |
| A statement said: "The FSA is advising that there is no risk to health, and the company has had no confirmation that the batch of egg is contaminated with dioxin or at what level. | |
| "This egg has been used to make a number of products; Finsbury is currently undertaking traceability tests and is working with both customers and the FSA with the ensuing investigation." | |
| EU Health Commissioner's spokesman Frederic Vincent said German authorities had identified contamination but authorities in both the Netherlands and the UK were still investigating. | EU Health Commissioner's spokesman Frederic Vincent said German authorities had identified contamination but authorities in both the Netherlands and the UK were still investigating. |
| "The British authorities will have to make some tests... on where and how the eggs were used," he said on Friday. | "The British authorities will have to make some tests... on where and how the eggs were used," he said on Friday. |
| Ian Jones, from the British Egg Products Association, said versatility of liquid egg made it useful to food manufacturers and the market was "extremely big". | |
| He said about 24% of eggs eaten in the UK are consumed in product form, with about 30% of products imported. | |
| Association members were "extremely concerned" about the impact of the contamination on the industry, he said, and urged people to check for the British Lion mark on eggs which had a "very detailed code of practice". | |
| "The FSA have made it very clear that the level of any potential contamination is very low but the fact remains the contaminant shouldn't have been in the product in the first place and there are ways of making sure that safe food is produced," he added. | |
| Farms closed | |
| The alert began when it was discovered thousands of tonnes of animal feed contaminated by highly toxic dioxins had been sent to more than 1,000 poultry and pig farms in Germany. | The alert began when it was discovered thousands of tonnes of animal feed contaminated by highly toxic dioxins had been sent to more than 1,000 poultry and pig farms in Germany. |
| Eggs from those farms were sent to the Netherlands for processing and then on to the UK. | Eggs from those farms were sent to the Netherlands for processing and then on to the UK. |
| The problem has been traced to oils intended for bio-fuel becoming mixed with oil destined for animal feed. | The problem has been traced to oils intended for bio-fuel becoming mixed with oil destined for animal feed. |
| The dioxin was discovered in late December but the extent of the problem was only revealed earlier this week when German officials said 3,000 tonnes of feed had been affected. | The dioxin was discovered in late December but the extent of the problem was only revealed earlier this week when German officials said 3,000 tonnes of feed had been affected. |
| Germany has closed more than 4,700 farms, mostly in the Lower Saxony region in north-west Germany. | Germany has closed more than 4,700 farms, mostly in the Lower Saxony region in north-west Germany. |
| German officials will brief their EU counterparts next week and the incident could lead to new rules on animal feed. | German officials will brief their EU counterparts next week and the incident could lead to new rules on animal feed. |
| Dioxins are toxins formed by industrial processes and waste burning. | Dioxins are toxins formed by industrial processes and waste burning. |
| They have been shown to contribute to higher cancer rates and to affect pregnant women. | They have been shown to contribute to higher cancer rates and to affect pregnant women. |