Eggs from Ukrainian farm recalled after SFA detects presence of bacteria
Eggs from a farm in Ukraine are being recalled after the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) detected Salmonella enteritidis (SE) in them.
Imported from the LCC “Yasensvit” farm, the eggs with the stamp “CEUA001” were found to contain the bacteria, said the agency on Tuesday.
The farm has since been suspended, and will not be allowed to export their eggs to Singapore until it has rectified its SE contamination issue, said SFA.
SE can be present inside the egg as well as on the egg shell, and can survive in raw and undercooked eggs, SFA said. It may cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomitting, with infections typically subsiding in a week, although it can be serious for people such as the elderly, young children and those with weakened immune systems.
“As SE can be destroyed by heat, eggs are safe to consume if they are cooked thoroughly,” SFA said. It added that proper hygienic practices should also be carried out to prevent cross-contamination with other food.
Those who have bought the affected eggs are advised to cook them thoroughly before consumption, and those who have consumed the eggs and are unwell should seek medical attention.
All eggs that are imported into Singapore must come from accredited sources that meet SFA’s food safety and animal health standards, including being free from SE.
“Local egg farms are also required to have in place good farm management practices and strong biosecurity measures to prevent the risks of SE contamination,” the agency added. This includes having a grading system to remove soiled or cracked eggs, or both, and regularly testing their hens for SE to remove eggs of SE-infected flocks from sale.
Singapore started importing eggs from Ukraine in June 2019, as part of its strategy to diversify food sources to safeguard its food supply.
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