Imported Dutch eggs found to contain traces of an insecticide have sparked calls for an emergency summit.

Around 700,000 eggs used in supermarket sandwiches and salads have been contaminated with Fipronil – a chemical which should not be used near food-producing animals.

The British Free Range Egg Producers Association is calling on retailers to change their egg-sourcing policies while the European Commission calls for a summit to tackle the issue.

Retailers are withdrawing sandwiches and salads feared to contain the insecticide but it is not yet clear which stores are affected.

BFREPA Chief Executive Robert Gooch said: “British egg producers follow stringent production standards to ensure that what they produce is perfectly safe and nutritious for consumers to eat.

“Retailers have shown good commitment to British shell eggs but processed egg is often sourced from other countries.

“This incident should be a wake-up call for retailers. Consumers want safe, traceable food and we have a ready-made scheme which delivers that in the form of the British Lion Code.”

Approximately 180 Dutch farms, including egg farms, have been implicated so far.

“Consumers should be reminded that eggs stamped with the British Lion mark are perfectly safe to eat,” Mr Gooch added.

British Lion Code eggs have been tested by the Food Standards Agency and have proven to be perfectly safe.