Parasitic worm eggs could soon be on the shelves (Picture: Getty Images)

Think contaminated eggs are your biggest egg-related problem right now? Well, parasitic worm eggs may soon go on sale in Europe.

That may sound horrible to some (OK, all) people but the tiny worms found in intestines can apparently be good for you – reducing stomach pain and diarrhoea.

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New Scientist reports that the Thai company ‘Tanawisa’ has had a pig whipworm (Trichuris suis) product accepted for evaluation in Germany.

It’s the closest a product of its type has ever come to getting approved by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), according to Detlev Goj, who works for the firm.




If the company convinces German authorities of its health benefits, then the eggs could soon be on shelves in the country in 500, 1,000 and 2,500 packs.

And after that Tanawisa hopes to move on to the rest of Europe.

A study in Science Daily, from 2014, argued the case for the pig whipworm centred on the ‘hygiene’ hypothesis.

It said in the west we suffered more from conditions like Crohn’s disease because we lacked the parasites in our bodies, adding that people in poorer nations had the similar human whipworm present in their bodies so would be less susceptible to the disease.

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But Helena Helmby, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, urged caution.

She told the New Scientist: ‘Self-medication with any type of worm is not recommended and it is important to remember they’re not in any way completely harmless, and may cause quite severe side effects if not monitored very carefully by a doctor.’

Parasitic worm eggs can currently be bought legally in Thailand.