Detecting dioxin eggs in the supermarket

Recognizing Dioxin Eggs in the Supermarket: Consumer Protection releases first grower codes to detect dioxin contaminated eggs in retail stores. Already bought eggs should not be eaten and returned.

10.11.2011

After the dioxin findings in eggs, consumer advocates have published producer codes that allow consumers to recognize in the trade whether the eggs are possibly dioxin-contaminated eggs. The codes provide information on whether the eggs originate from the farms concerned.

The Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg (VZHH) has published identification numbers of the affected producers on its website. The companies are located in Lower Saxony or in North Rhine-Westphalia. Consumer advocates advise consumers not to consume eggs with the codes and to return them in the supermarket or retail.

With the stamp impressions the origin and the conditions under which the chickens grew up can be read off. Because for some years (since 2004) manufacturers must provide each egg with an imprint. The number and letter code consists of a total of 8 digits and two letters. At the beginning there is a number between zero and three followed by a total of two letters and seven further numbers.
The Federal Ministry of Food, Consumer Protection and Agriculture also explains on its website how the numbers and letters are to be interpreted. For example, the first digit indicates whether the eggs are organic, soil or caged. The zero stands for an organic origin, the one for outdoor, the two for ground and the three for caging.

The letters show where the eggs came from. "DE" means Germany and for example "NL" for the Netherlands. The following two numbers provide information about which state the eggs originate from. "03" means Lower Saxony, "05" stands for North Rhine-Westphalia, "09" means Bavaria, and "16" Thuringia. The following numbers (3 to 6 numbers) indicate from which yard the eggs originate. The last number shows, from which concrete stable of the enterprise the eggs originate. It should be noted that the information on the packaging may differ from the embossing. This means that only 100 percent of the actual origin can be found on the skin of the hen's egg. This is because the eggs are often produced, for example, in France and packaged in Germany in new boxes.

Number codes of the affected eggs which the consumer advice center warns about:
2-DE-0513912 (weight class XL)
3-DE-0514411 (only brewed eggs)
2-DE-0,350,372
2-DE-0,355,461
3-EN-0312141
2-DE-0,312,142
2-DE-0,312,151
2-DE-0,350,384
1-DE-0,508,762
2-DE-0,508,761

The manufacturers identified in the codes remain suspended until the dioxin levels for the eggs produced fall below the permitted limit. Consumers who store eggs with these egg codes at home should refrain from consuming them and bring them back to the retailer, according to the Consumer Center's recommendation. All eggs are either from Lower Saxony or North Rhine-Westphalia.

Why can the eggs become dangerous to your health??
Even at low doses scientifically proven that dioxin is carcinogenic and highly toxic. The harmful substance settles in the adipose tissue and therefore represents a long-term health hazard. Long-term effects, for example, disorders of the immune system, the nervous system and the hormone balance have been demonstrated in animal experiments. Also inflammatory skin diseases and damage to the liver are possible. If only a few eggs are eaten, the risk is manageable. Acute and long-term poisoning is excluded from the current state of knowledge.

Are organic eggs also affected?
Eggs from an organic farm are, according to current information, spared from the Dioxion scandal. This is because, according to the EU Eco-Directive, no fatty acids may be added to the feed. Organic eggs are therefore currently harmless. (sb, as of 10.01.2011)

Also read:
iPhone app detects dioxin eggs
Dioxin eggs also in Bavaria
Dioxin eggs: Procuratorate identified
Health risk from dioxin eggs
Dioxin burden apparently known for months

Picture: Gerd Altmann / myself