‘No fake eggs on the market’

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PUTRAJAYA: The Veterinary Services Department yesterday confirmed that fake eggs are not being sold on the market based on samples tested to date.

Its director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin said the samples were taken from markets nationwide, including the one in Pulau Tikus, Penang, where media reports last week suggested that such eggs had been sold.

“Initial results showed that the samples were genuine eggs. We urge consumers or consumer associations who are in possession of what they claim to be fake eggs to surrender them to the department.

“Those who provide relevant information will be rewarded,” he told reporters here.

A buyer had complained to the Consumers Association of Penang of 30 fake eggs bought for RM11 from the market in Pulau Tikus.

Alluding to this matter, Dr Abdul Aziz said the eggs may have been spoilt or of low quality that should not have been sold to the public.

Dr Abdul Aziz also ruled out the possibility that the fake items were produced elsewhere and imported into Malaysia, as the country prohibited the importation of eggs, except for breeding purposes.

In another development, he said all egg producers in the country would soon be required to register with the department and issued with certificates to ensure that they fulfilled certain standards.

Under the system, eggs will have labels indicating its producers, grades and manufacture dates.

“The system has been implemented in the larger farms where eggs are being produced for the export market. Now, we want smaller egg production farms to adopt the system,” he said.

Abdul Aziz said a meeting with the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia would be held to discuss the matter.

Records show that there are 390 egg production farms in this country with 37.82 million chickens, capable of producing 23.46 million eggs daily. — Bernama