January 12, 2011

Russia urges locals to avoid German food imports

Russia's consumer rights watchdog urged consumers on Monday (Jan 10) to avoid German food imports due to possible dioxin contamination and to buy local products instead.

None of the 4,700 farms quarantined over an egg and meat scare exported their products directly to Russia, but the Federal Consumer Protection Service is looking into whether pork, chicken meat or eggs from the farms might have made it into Russia through third-party importers, a spokesman said.

German prosecutors are looking into the case, allegedly caused by feed additives from the Harles und Jentzsch company. The European Commission has said the levels of dioxin in contaminated eggs and meat poses no health risk.