Dioxin contamination in German eggs, pork result of technical fats in feed

After the recent discovery of excessive amounts of dioxin in its products and animal feeds, forcing more than 1,000 farms producing eggs, poultry and pork in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, to halt sales, Harles & Jentzsch GmbH has said it was "careless" in assuming a certain mixed fatty acid would be "suitable for manufacture of animal feed."
The company said that for years it has manufactured using technical fats, which are typically used for making lubricants and biofuels and in cosmetics. A total of 2,700 metric tons of contaminated animal feed was shipped to farmers in eight German states, with 90% ending up in Lower Saxony, said Holger Eichele, a spokesman for German Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Protection Ilse Aigner.
Food retailers are currently testing their products to see if any items return positive for dioxin, as more than 100,000 contaminated eggs are thought to have been shipped to various shops. Agriculture officials are also conducting inspections to determine which farms have been supplied with the hazardous feed. Authorities are investigating to determine whether a criminal offense has been committed.