German authorities are investigating possible large-scale fraud by organic egg producers.
German authorities are investigating possible large-scale fraud by organic egg producers amid increased concern over food industry practices following Europe's horse meat scandal.
The northern state of Lower Saxony, a major agricultural hub, has launched probes of some 150 farms suspected of wrongly selling eggs produced by hens kept in overcrowded conditions under the organic label.
Two other states are investigating a further 50 farms.
"If the accusations (against the farms) are found to be true, then we are talking of fraud on a grand scale: fraud against consumers but also fraud against the many organic farmers in Germany who work honestly," German Farm Minister Ilse Aigner said in a statement on Monday.
She urged regional governments to ensure the full implementation of tough German and EU laws on organic food production, adding that consumers must be able to have full confidence in the labeling of products.
Organically produced eggs cost some 10 cents more than those produced under standard industrial conditions.
Christian Meyer, farm minister in the newly appointed Lower Saxony government, vowed to take a tough line on any farms found to have broken the law.
Organic food is a huge industry in environmentally-conscious Germany, where many consumers are willing to pay extra for eggs, meat, vegetables and other products they believe have been produced organically.
The suspicions of organic egg fraud coincide with the discovery that horse meat was labeled as beef in processed food sold around Europe. The scandal has triggered recalls of ready meals and damaged confidence in the continent's food industry.
Two years ago a European Union-wide health alert was sparked when German officials said animal feed tainted with dioxin had been fed to hens and pigs, contaminating eggs, poultry meat and pork at affected farms.
欧洲马肉风波未平，人们对食品行业的关注持续升温，与此同时德国又爆出大规模有机鸡蛋造假案，德国检察机关正在对此展开调查。
作为大型农业中心，德国北部下萨克森州已对大约150多家农场展开调查，这些农场涉嫌出售假冒有机鸡蛋，鸡舍条件过度拥挤。
另外两个州也在进一步调查其它50个农场。
德国农业部长伊尔莎-艾格纳周一发表声明说：“如果针对这些农场的指控成立，那我们所面临的将是一个大型的欺诈丑闻。这不仅是对消费者的欺骗，也是对德国许多诚信工作的有机农场工人的欺骗”。
她催促地方政府确保全面严格执行德国和欧盟有关有机食品生产的法律，并补充道消费者应对产品标签有高度信心。
有机鸡蛋的价格比标准工业条件下生产的鸡蛋贵10美分。
作为新上任的下萨克森州农业部长，克里斯蒂安•梅耶承诺对所有违规农场采取强硬措施。
在环保意识强烈的德国，有机食品产业巨大。很多消费者都愿意花更多的钱买有机鸡蛋、有机肉食、有机蔬菜等其它他们认为有机生产的产品。
有机鸡蛋涉嫌造假巧遇席卷欧洲加工食品“挂牛头卖马肉”事件。这起丑闻召回了有问题的即食肉制品，重创消费者对欧洲食品行业的信心。
两年前，德国官员表示一些农场喂养鸡和猪的动物饲料含有二恶英，影响到鸡蛋、家禽肉和猪肉的安全，从而引发了欧盟健康警报。