Salmonella outbreak shines light on imported eggs in UK

It has emerged that this problem with egg imports has been around for some time; it has been given a new twist and focus because the investigation has stepped up a gear.

This is because of at least two deaths and the fact that reported cases have now passed the 500 mark and are still growing. This should be a greater scandal than it is. It is wrong on so many fronts, not least the lax supervision by the government to protect the public from dodgy imports that not only do not meet UK standards but are often produced under conditions that would be unacceptable here.

The less talked about issue is that damage is unfairly caused to producers here meeting all the rules and producing a wholesome, safe product.

They are however caught by the negative fallout from any food scare, in that it turns people off the product and onto alternatives.

The suggestion is that the problem eggs are not being bought in supermarkets, but are instead coming through the often more price sensitive catering sector.

As a result those studying the outbreak say people are more likely to have fallen ill as a result of eating products bought outside the home. The UK is at the sharp end of this outbreak, partly because it has a high reliance on imported eggs, on grounds of cost.

However a number of EU member states including Austria, Belgium, France and Germany – have reported egg linked salmonella outbreaks.

Experts are now identifying the strain of salmonella to see if these outbreaks are linked and so whether the problem can be traced back to a common source.

It is unlikely the eggs in the UK or the EU outbreak will have originated in the EU. Regulations to create a salmonella free commercial flock have been in place for some time and enforcement has been fairly rigorous across most member states. There has been no official comment in the UK on the potential source of the problem, but inevitably there is speculation on line.

Much of this is about making a case based on the best fit of the facts and this has resulted in speculation that Ukraine could be the source of the outbreak.

It has had a recent salmonella outbreak and it is reportedly the biggest supplier of imported eggs from outside the EU into the UK.

If this is the case it is a sensitive issue, here and perhaps even more so in the EU.

For political reasons around solidarity with Ukraine and doing whatever can be done to bolster its economy.

For this reason it is treated largely as if it were an EU member state, with tariff free access and fewer controls than other third countries.

This has proved controversial, not least with the EU member states bordering Ukraine, which claim food markets have been disrupted and damaged by imports from Ukraine.

The European Commission has had to respond to this criticism by giving significant financial compensation to those suffering as a result of this open door trade policy.

This makes any issue related to quality and standards in Ukraine a politically difficult issue.

On that basis fingers will be crossed in London and Brussels that the investigation does not conclude that Ukraine, which accounts for a third of UK egg imports, is the likely source of the outbreak. While salmonella is a nasty infection that is serious for some, most of those affected will get over it and make a full recovery.

The lasting consequence will probably be a loss of enthusiasm for eggs, regardless of whether they are safe UK eggs or imported.

However the government and Food Standards Agency should not see this as an end of the problem.

It is wrong that on grounds of cost we import food, without disclosing its origin to consumers, from countries whose standards and legislation are far below what would be acceptable in the UK.

As a way to save a few pence in an admittedly difficult UK economy reeling from the cost of living this is simply wrong.

It is a muddle-headed, illogical approach by politicians charged with ensuring food security and the health of the nation