South Korean authorities completed investigation on pesticide contamination in all egg farms across the country, from which they discovered tainted eggs from 66 out of 876 and, shockingly, 62 being organic farms. Eggs from 31 farms (27 organic farms) have been banned from distribution because their pesticide residues far exceeded accepted levels.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Thursday said the egg scare crisis could be combated within days after destroying all the eggs from the 31 farms. The 35 other organic farms found with moderate pesticide residues will lose organic certification and could go on selling eggs at cheaper price under non-organic category.

Organic eggs are more expensive than common eggs because they should be bred free-range, or cage free that requires less pesticide use, and healthier diet without use of antibiotics.

Farms that passed the inspection will increase yield in order to help keep up the supply disrupted from the sale ban and recall.

The nationwide probe was triggered after an egg scare spread in Europe from discovery of fipronil, a type of pesticide, in a farm in Belgium that sparked mass-scale egg recall across Europe recently. Pesticides are usually used during the summer to kill insects breeding in congested chicken coops. Fipronil is sanctioned for use on layer chickens because they can be damaging to nervous system.

By Seok Min-soo

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