Amsterdam  - The European Commission described the situation with regards to the safety of eggs as "under control," on Thursday, amid fears this week that eggs may have been contaminated by the poisonous insecticide Fipronil.

The eggs are blocked

Thus far, Fipronil-contaminated eggs have been discovered in 28 poultry operations in the Netherlands, along with one in Germany. A total of 180 plants were closed in the Netherlands until testing results became available. "The eggs are blocked. The contaminated eggs have been traced and withdrawn from the market and the situation is under control," Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, a spokeswoman for the commission said. Earlier an association of Dutch poultry farmers criticized the sales ban on Dutch eggs in German supermarkets.

Measures to be exaggerated

"All Dutch eggs that are reaching markets now are guaranteed free of fipronil," Eric Hubers, the association's chairman, said on Thursday on Dutch radio. The night before, the grocery store chain Rewe and its discount subsidiary Penny had announced that they would be removing all eggs from the Netherlands from supermarket shelves. Hubers considered the measures and warnings, which had also taken hold in his own country, to be exaggerated. "This is fearmongering, because you know there are no risks," he said. All of the plants in question had cleaned their premises with the same anti-lice agent, which had the prohibited insecticide as an additive. The poultry farmers are expecting significant losses because of the scandal, particularly since 60 to 70 per cent of Dutch eggs are exported, mainly to Germany.