500 million factory-farmed eggs sold in “organic” scam
The “free-range” eggs scam —
under which eggs laid by battery hens in mainland Europe were sold as free-range
or organic in British supermarkets — is ten times bigger than was first
thought, it has emerged.
The “free-range” eggs scam — under which eggs laid by battery hens in mainland Europe were sold as free-range or organic in British supermarkets — is ten times bigger than was first thought, it has emerged.
For up to five years consumers have been duped into paying premium prices for more than 500 million eggs, investigators have told The Times.
What is known is that at least ten 44-tonne articulated lorries a week — each containing 224,000 eggs, the equivalent of 116 million a year — have been arriving in Britain from mainland Europe, probably for at least five years.
And no one noticed.
There is also concern because many factory-farmed eggs from EU countries contain high levels of salmonella.
The Food Standards Agency estimates that the bacteria are present in one in every 30 boxes of imported eggs on sale in Britain. There is a particular problem in Spain, where one in every eight boxes carries infected eggs.
Does anyone think this is exclusively the result of really smart crooks and coppers who simply thought everyone importing foodstuffs into the UK was upright and honest? Or were there suits getting a piece of the action?
Good thing that here in the U.S.A. we have a truly independent Food & Drug Administration that is meticulous about….erm, never mind.
Posted: Mon - March 19, 2007 at 07:05 AM