BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS: INVESTIGATORS PROBE A BANKRUPT BELGIAN FIRM THOUGHT TO BE A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF A BANNED HORMONE IN PIG FEED

Record ID: 566153

  • Title: BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS: INVESTIGATORS PROBE A BANKRUPT BELGIAN FIRM THOUGHT TO BE A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF A BANNED HORMONE IN PIG FEED
  • Date: 5th July 2002
  • Summary: (U6) NETERSEL, NETHERLANDS (JULY 5 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV/CU VARIOUS OF PIGS AT FARM IN THE NETHERLANDS, THE WORLD'S THIRD-LARGEST PORK EXPORTING COUNTRY. THESE PIGS ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE SCANDAL. ALL AFFECTED FARMS THAT WERE CONTACTED BY REUTERS DECLINED PERMISSION TO SHOOT (4 SHOTS) 0.39 (U6) ARENDONK, BELGIUM (JULY 5 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. PAN/CU/SV EXTERIORS OF BIOLAND, A BANKRUPT COMPANY NEAR THE DUTCH BORDER BEING INVESTIGATED AS THE SOURCE OF GROWTH HORMONE IN PIG FEED (9 SHOTS) 1.37 (U6) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JULY 5 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. CU/MCU OF PASCAL HOUBAERT, SPOKESMAN FOR THE BELGIAN FEDERAL AGENCY FOR FOOD SECURITY (3 SHOTS) 1.52 4. MCU (Dutch) HOUBAERT SAYING: "The company which the Dutch authorities alerted us to is called Bioland. Upon investigation it emerges that the company was active in the production of glucose syrup which comes from the recycling of sugary materials like sweets. We went there and we found the presence of products. But the company is bankrupt." 2.22 (U6) NETERSEL, NETHERLANDS (JULY 5 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. SLV/CU/SV OF PIGS BEING FED (8 SHOTS) 3.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th July 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS AND ARENDONK, BELGIUM AND NETERSEL, NETHERLANDS
  • City:
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Reuters ID: LVADFPP8VBF2NYBKNMZP9I7BWOUV
  • Story Text: The spectre of a new food scandal has cast a shadow
    over Belgium after investigators probed a bankrupt Belgian
    firm thought to be a possible source of a banned hormone in
    Dutch pig feed.



    The scandal which broke on Friday (July 5) is the
    latest in a series of health safety scares in Europe and could
    undermine consumer confidence in the food industry. It has
    also caused alarm in Germany, whose authorities fear might
    have some of the received the tainted feed.

    The number of farms in the world's third-biggest pork
    exporting country found with the hormone-laced feed had surged
    to 51 from 29 on Thursday and neighbouring Germany launched a
    search for contaminated pigs and feed.

    Belgian officials said they were investigating whether a
    firm called Bioland, based near the Dutch border, had supplied
    ingredients containing the MPA hormone, which is banned in
    Europe but approved as a growth stimulant in the United
    States, Australia and New Zealand.

    One of the raw materials, glucose syrup, was supplied by a
    Belgian company. It concerns the company Bioland based in
    Arendonk, a spokesman for the safety agency AFSCA told Reuters
    Television. Belgian prosecutors have started an investigation
    into a possible breach of Belgian laws.

    Belgian radio reported later on Friday that traces of the
    MPA hormone had been found at the Bioland site. The report
    could
    not immediately be independently confirmed. A telephone number
    for Bioland was no longer in service.

    Bioland went bankrupt in early May. It was not registered
    with AFSCA.

    The Dutch Agriculture Ministry, which put the number of
    farms using the hormone at 42, said it would not comment on
    the
    source of the hormone until investigations were complete.

    Dutch farmers' groups representing the 15,000 Dutch pig
    farmers are angry that Agriculture Minister Laurens-Jan
    Brinkhorst had suggested they were responsible for the scandal
    when most of those affected had no idea they were using
    hormone-tainted feed.

    Farmers first brought the problem to light when they
    noticed some of their sows were infertile and having problems
    giving
    birth when using a special liquid feed, Luiten said.

    The European Union has banned Medroxyprogesterone-acetate
    (MPA) because its scientists believe it might cause
    infertility
    in humans and has ordered the destruction of products
    containing it.

    MPA is used for humans in birth control pills and in
    hormone replacement therapy for women going through menopause.

    The affected farms plus around 2,000 more that are being
    investigated have been ordered not to slaughter any pigs for a
    week, officials said.

    In Germany, officials have launched a search for
    consignments of pigs and pig feed tainted with MPA.

    Dutch authorities on Thursday warned Germany that 2,200
    hormone-treated pigs and 35 tonnes of contaminated animal feed
    had been exported to the country, a German agriculture
    ministry spokeswoman said.

    Deliveries took place between May 2 and June 26 mainly to
    the German states of North-Rhine Westphalia, Lower Saxony and
    Rhineland-Pfalz.

    Belgium is no stranger to food scandals. In 1999, vast
    amounts of chickens had to be destroyed after the discovery of
    the highly toxic substance dioxin on some farms. Earlier this
    year, the government was embarrassed by the revelation that
    dangerous compounds called polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) had been
    found in animal feed.



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