Remarks Stirred Salmonella Scare : Egg on Her Face, British Official Quits

Edwina Currie, the junior health minister who sparked a major controversy by saying most of Britain’s eggs are contaminated, resigned today.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher accepted the 42-year-old politician’s resignation with “great personal sadness.”

Currie said in a TV interview two weeks ago that most of Britain’s eggs are infected with salmonella bacteria, which cause food poisoning.

In fact, 49 reported salmonella outbreaks affecting 1,000 Britons have been traced to eggs this year.

The egg industry said that sales slumped 50% as a result of Currie’s remarks and that egg producers have taken legal action for damages against the outspoken politician.

In an attempt to restore public confidence, the government took out full-page ads in national newspapers today saying eggs are basically safe if properly cooked--but ruled out use of raw eggs for homemade mayonnaise and yuletide eggnog.

At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture announced an emergency aid package to farmers under which it will buy millions of eggs left unsold as a result of the scare.

The egg industry has said that millions of hens may have to be slaughtered and that 10,000 jobs are at risk as the country’s mountain of 300 million eggs grows 20 million a day.