The Korean standard is set at 0.01 mg/kg. As a preventive measure, the ministry banned Korea’s approximately 1,300 farms from shipping eggs starting on Tuesday at midnight. It said it will investigate pesticide contamination within the next three days. Only farms that pass the ministry’s probe will be allowed to sell their eggs. In collaboration with provincial governments, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will look into where the contaminated eggs were shipped and retrieve the entire supply. It has started investigating four wholesalers that buy eggs from the Namyangju-based farm. Fipronil was detected at the Namyangju-based farm during a regular government check on pesticide residue on farms registered for use of antibiotics. “The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been continuously doing pesticide residue tests but this is the first time fipronil was found,” the ministry said in a statement. Industry insiders speculate the number of pesticide-tainted farms will increase when the government investigates farm not registered for use of antibiotics. According to the World Health Organization, fipronil is “moderately toxic” when ingested in massive quantities, causing nausea and vomiting. Fipronil is behind the widening egg scandal in Europe. Millions of eggs have been pulled from shelves of supermarkets in 17 countries, according to local reports. The pesticide problem follows an egg shortage earlier this year after an avian influenza outbreak that pushed egg prices up 50 percent. They have yet to return to normal. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation on Tuesday, a tray of 30 standard sized eggs that sold wholesale for 5,350 won ($4.71) last year is currently selling for 7,595 won. “During the avian influenza crisis, only selected farms were banned from retailing eggs, but this time all farms in Korea are on a temporary halt from delivering eggs,” said a source from the retail industry. “It is likely the price will go up if the current situation continues.”