Eggs scandal: Brownies and muffins withdrawn from shelves in Europe

The French Agriculture Ministry on Friday added cakes such as brownies and muffins to the list of goods to be removed from the market as the pesticide-contaminated eggs scandal in Europe grows.

The brownie cakes with chocolate chips, and muffins from five different brands which are manufactured in Belgium and sold by many supermarket chains in France have been identified to contain the “fipronil” insecticide, and these products will be withdrawn from the market, according to a statement made by the Ministry.

The ministry previously said that goods such as pasta, waffles and frangipane would be removed from market shelves.

The Dutch Ministry of Health on Thursday declared that they have found amitraz, another banned chemical, on poultry farms in the country, apart from fipronil.

Just like fibronil, amitraz is an insecticide used on animals such as dogs for tick-infestation, but its usage on edible animals is banned in the European Union member states as it is hazardous to health. Fibronil causes short-term effects to the central nervous system according to the World Health Organization.

The pesticide-tainted eggs have so far been found in 20 countries. Millions of eggs were recalled and destroyed, and more than 150 chicken farms were shut down.