Dutch egg scandal: 17 nations affected

The Dutch egg scandal has affected 17 nations worldwide, EU officials have said.

This includes 15 European Union members plus China and Switzerland.

All have reported receiving contaminated eggs or egg products in a growing food scandal.

Several producers in the Netherlands and Belgium are under investigation after eggs there were found to have been treated with a product containing pesticide Fipronil.

Fipronil is used to prevent fleas, ticks and lice infestations but is banned from use in food-producing animals.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the scandal.

Some of the contaminated eggs went on sale as far away as Hong Kong. Credit: PA

EU trade and agriculture spokesman Daniel Rosario said farms have also been blocked in France and Germany.

The semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong was the only non-European place mentioned that was affected.

The others are Sweden, Britain, Austria, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Denmark and non-EU member Switzerland.

The EU says it wants to hold a meeting late next month to discuss the scandal. A provisional date has been set for September 26.

Supermarkets in the UK have binned products which could contain contaminated products.

But the Food Standards Agency said the contamination posed a low risk to the public.