Millions of eggs are being recalled from shops and warehouses in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium after they were found to contain high levels of a toxic insecticide banned from use in the production of food for human consumption.

About 180 farms in the Netherlands have been temporarily closed and a criminal investigation has been launched as authorities seek to get a grip on the scale of the problem. About a million eggs destined for Germany were recalled from the border with the Netherlands this week. Tests of chicken droppings, blood and eggs had shown high levels of the insecticide fipronil, a common ingredient in veterinary products for getting rid of fleas, lice and ticks, but banned from being used to treat animals destined for human consumption. According to the World Health Organisation, the highly toxic substance can damage the liver, thyroid glands and kidneys if ingested in large amounts over time.(theguardian)…[+]