"Healthy eating! Remember your five-a-day"

A host of food-related news stories have hit the headlines across Europe in recent weeks. From the "Beef" lasagna, which was actually found to contain horsemeat, to the "free range organic" eggs, which turned out to be battery farmed. Next, came the end of a ban on bone meal being used in animal feed – in place since 1997 – which was overturned by the EU, who authorised its use fish farm feed. Finally, milk in the Balkans was found contaminated with aflatoxin - a dangerous carcinogen.

Now, yet another scandal has emerged, this time regarding a contraceptive pill named Diane 35, which is also used to treat acne. Banned in France, the third generation oral contraceptive is under fire from critics in the Netherlands after a number of deaths linked to its use. The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board has issued a recommendation that physicians do not prescribe the drug to new patients.

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