(LEAD) Outcome of tainted eggs inspection likely to be announced early next week

(ATTN: CORRECTS time element in headline, lead)

SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities said Saturday they will likely announce the outcome of the inspection into eggs tainted with the insecticide fipronil early next week amid an unfolding egg contamination scandal in Europe.

Details such as how the contaminated eggs could harm human organs when ingested, and how many contaminated eggs have been collected or destroyed will be disclosed as early as Sunday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said.

"The result of the analysis and the total amount will be announced tomorrow," said a ministry official, who asked not to be named.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs recently completed inspections on 1,239 egg farms and related facilities nationwide that showed 49 farms had used illegal insecticides.

The farms used fipronil on their hens, prompting the government to halt egg production in South Korea.

The same insecticide has been at the center of a massive health scare that erupted in Europe last month. A total of 17 countries on the continent have received eggs or egg products tainted with fipronil.

khj@yna.co.kr
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