Cancer chemicals found in eggs

High levels of cancer-causing chemicals have been found in chicken eggs at a farm in Anglesey, UK, it was disclosed today.

The discovery emerged from tests of eggs, milk, grass and soil samples taken from around foot-and-mouth pyres.

But the British Food Standards Agency, which is conducting the investigation, today said it was highly unlikely that the problem, which appears to be confined to one farm, is linked to the burning of slaughtered animals.

Experts suspect that chicken feed might be to blame and are carrying out urgent further inquiries.

Early results from other samples show that none contain dioxins or PCBs - both pollutants that can cause cancer - higher than expected background levels.

But the FSA said the gradual build-up of chemicals could change this picture when the next set of results were released.

The eggs from the Anglesey farm were found to have PCB levels three times higher than the top end of the normal range.

But the eggs contained no unusually high amounts of dioxin, which would be expected if the problem was caused by pyres.

Duck eggs also tested on the farm had normal levels of both dioxins and PCBs.

Dr Jon Bell, deputy chief executive and director of food safety at the FSA, said: ‘‘These are results we’re just getting to grips with and obviously we need to assist the farmer to find out what the source of the problem is.’’

He said a connection with foot-and-mouth pyres could not be ruled out completely but it was extremely unlikely.

‘‘We wouldn’t have expected to see the PCB levels high and the dioxins not, and that is what we’re seeing at the moment,’’ he said.