Sore Belgians keen to share out some of the grief Danes hit back over PCB slur Reports that Belgian evidence of PCB contamination in Danish and Dutch pigmeat had been passed to the European Commission for further investigation have sparked a rapid response from the Danes. "The analysis was made on processed products ­ manufactured in Belgium ­ from raw materials that the Belgian authorities claim originate from Denmark," said Danske Slagterier vetrinerary head Anne-Mette Olsen. "On the basis of present knowledge, we question whether the problem derives from the raw material. We also put a question mark against the origin of the meat." The Danish industry monitors constantly for PCBs, for which the EU has set a trigger limit of 200 nanogrammes per gram of fat. Between 1992 and 1998 more than 1,000 samples have been routinely tested, returning levels no higher than background concentrations ­ 20 times lower than the Belgian tests claim. There is no mistaking the feeling in Belgium that the country is being singled out for harsh treatment. There is an inevitable keenness to share out some of the grief with Belgium's neighbours. However the European Commission is starting to take a more active role in sorting out the animal feedstuff contamination scandals which have been splashed across northern Europe's press coverage. It is clear the commission is now convinced that such practices are widespread throughout the EU, since it has now sent letters to all member states, urging them to look into the possibility that there is widespread recycling of slurry into feed. These letters, stressed a spokesman, were sent "as a precautionary measure; if there is a problem, we need to know." {{MEAT }}