At the end of July, authorities in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany reported findings of fipronil in eggs. The findings were communicated through the RASFF alert system maintained by the European Commission, among other channels. It was suspected that fipronil had been illicitly added to parasite repellent used on chickens.
The Finnish Customs Laboratory had the analysis tools for examining fipronil. For example, spice imports brought to Finland from outside the EU have been banned several times over the years due to fipronil presence. Chicken meat and eggs are not foodstuffs subject to controls by Customs as such. However, Customs may examine foodstuffs that contain egg.
The first samples that contained egg arrived in the Customs Laboratory on 8 August 2017. The Laboratory analysed 39 samples of mayonnaise, pastries and fresh pasta. The products had been manufactured in France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Denmark. The examined products were not found to contain fipronil. Nevertheless, Customs will continue examinations into fipronil contents of egg-containing foodstuffs originating in risk countries alongside other customs controls.
