Luxembourg’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Consumer Protection, has announced that, following the detection of the insecticide Fipronil in eggs from the Netherlands, the Luxembourg authorities responsible for food safety and consumer protection are monitorig the situation closely and in close cooperation with the authorities of countries concerned via the European Commission’s early warning system (RASFF).

According to current information:

• The origin of the contamination appears to be a product used for the disinsection of poultry houses to which an entity in Belgium has unlawfully added

• Fipronil is an insecticide used against fleas, mites and ticks for pets. The product is not authorised for food chain animals, such as poultry. The use of Fipronil has been restricted since 2013 due to the proven risk for bees.

• The authorities in the Netherlands have identified 180 farms in which the illegally contaminated product has been used since 1 January of this year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies Fipronil as moderately toxic to humans. According to the latest scientific evidence, the substance Fipronil has neither mutagenic nor carcinogenic characteristics.

Based on the highest concentrations currently measured (1.2 mg / kg) and the risk assessment of BfR, the risk to human health is very low.

According to the current investigations by the authorities of the Netherlands, none of these farms has delivered eggs to a Luxembourg entity.

The same applies to the eggs of three German producers concerned (0-DE-0360521, 1-DE-0357731, 1-DE-0358001).

Also, the disinfection product contaminated with Fipronil has not been used by Luxembourg poultry producers.

According to all the information currently available, Luxembourg appears to be unaffected by the distribution of the illegally contaminated product or by the distribution of contaminated eggs.

The Luxembourg authorities will subsequently take all necessary measures on the basis of information received via the European Commission’s early warning system.