In official research from the Lower Saxony State Office for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (LAVES), the broad-spectrum insecticide, fipronil was detected above the permitted maximum residue level, leading to the recall of 73,000 organic eggs from six German states.
Eggs, from an organic laying hen farm in the Netherlands, were sampled at a packing station in the Vechta district by LAVES and the observed residual levels were 0.014; 0.019 and 0.007 mg / kg fipronil. The maximum permitted level according to EU Regulation No. 396/2005 is 0.005 mg / kg.
Due to the exceedance of this permitted value, the eggs are not marketable and were withdrawn from the market and the Dutch authorities were informed. On the basis of the assessment of the Federal Office for Risk Assessment (BfR), the values determined were well below a rate that would constituent a risk to health.
Fipronil removes lice, but its use is banned in the EU on animals such as chickens.
In 2017, it became known that the insecticide fipronil had been used illegally in hen farms for parasite control. There was a considerable amount of recall of eggs and egg products. Due to the events at the time, Fipronil was included in the National Residue Control Plan (NRKP).
The findings are in line with current Dutch press reports reporting increased levels of fipronil in eggs of previously closed farms.
The official investigations remain ongoing.