Egg Scandal in Korea - Proposed Eggshell Labeling Amendments
The recent egg scandal which has struck a total of 15 EU states, together with Switzerland and Hong Kong has also arrived in the supermarkets in South Korea. The only difference was that these “bad eggs” were neither import from Netherlands or Belgium but homegrown.
The Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Rural Affairs has launched nationwide inspections of eggs and found 52 poultry farms in South Korea to have been detected with pesticides prohibited in poultry farming. This includes pesticides such as Fipronil (Maximum Residual Limit (MRL) : 0.02mg/kg) and Bifenthrin (MRL: 0.01ppm).
The authorities have since recalled all affected eggs and have those detected with excessive pesticides destroyed. They have additionally launched preemptive measures to inspect the chicken slaughterhouses. Chickens detected with excessive pesticides were also discarded as a preventive measure.
The government acknowledged that producers have not been labeling eggs appropriately to explain their source of origin.
The eggshell labeling system was introduced in 2010 and according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), there were 6 cases of eggs not fulfilling the labeling requirements since last year and the year before. Authorities were said to have neglected on-site inspections.
In order to reinforce the eggshell labeling mandatory requirements, the MFDS has announced the following proposed amendments:
Penalties:
1) No label: Suspension of business for 15 days (1st offence)
*<missing date laid, serial number
2) Forgery of info: Closure of business (1st offence)
Limits of use in eggs:
Fipronil: Not allowed for use in chickens. Fipronil is only allowed for use against fleas and ticks in dogs and cats.
The same standard is applied in US and Europe as well. The Codex standards is provisionally applied in Korea and the limit for eggs is 0.02mg/kg.
Bifenthrin: Bifenthrin is used against mites (Dermanyssus gallinae, red mite, poultry mite) in chickens and the allowed limit is 0.01ppm.
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