Dioxin found in chicken

German farm animals had eaten contaminated feed for months. Photo / Thinkstock

Germany- Investigators have found excessive levels of cancer-causing dioxin in chicken - the first confirmation of tainted meat since the discovery that German farm animals had eaten contaminated feed, possibly for months.

Three chickens - out of 15 samples of chicken, turkey and pork sent to the EU Commission - showed a dioxin concentration twice the legal limit, an Agriculture Ministry spokesman said. He said the chicken had not been sold but eating it would not have been harmful in the short term since the contamination levels were so low.

Excessive dioxin was previously discovered in German eggs.