The Superintendent of Public Health has warned people to consume no more than two eggs a day after traces of fipronil were found in imported and local eggs being sold in Malta.

The government said in a statement that eight of 20 samples of imported eggs contained traces of fipronil after tests were carried out in German laboratories on eggs sent for testing by the Directorate for Environmental Health.

The Directorate said in a statement this evening that while any use of fipronil is prohibited, the amounts found in the eggs on local shelves were very low. 

But as a precaution it advised against consuming more than two eggs a day until further notice.

The Commission for Food Security, the Directorate of Veterinary Services and the Directorate for Environmental Health has already taken steps to stop the sale of contaminated eggs and to conduct further testing.