Five chicken farms sealed over fears of egg contamination

The Superintendence for Public Health has sealed five chicken farms after it was found that eggs from the farms contained traces of the insecticide fipronil, according to Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci.  

The insecticide has caused millions of eggs across Europe to be recalled after it was discovered that they were contaminated by the pesticide – 700,000 contaminated eggs are thought to have reached the UK alone. The insecticide is banned for use on animals reared for human consumption.

According to Gauci, authorities had randomly selected 20 eggs from shops earlier this month, and had found that 8 of the 20 eggs were contaminated with the pesticide. She added that 6 of 8 eggs that tested positive originated in Malta, with the remaining two eggs coming from imported batches.

As a result, said Gauci, tests were now being carried out on all chicken farms around the island, explaining however, that the levels of fipronil detected in the eggs was significantly lower than the levels which had been detected, and had prompted widespread recalls, across Europe.

Gauci insisted there was no cause for alarm because the level of the pesticide was below the threshold for a recall. Moreover, she said that distributed by the suppliers whose eggs had been found to be contaminated were collected and destroyed by authorities.