Food safety dept receives complaint

PALLAKAD: The food safety department, which received a complaint regarding sale of spurious eggs at Cherpulasseryin Palakkad last month will collect samples at the check posts and different parts of the district and get them tested at the Veterinary College Laboratory in Thrissur.

The deputy commissioner of food safety K M George Varghese said that they received a complaint regarding sale of spurious eggs brought in a vehicle to some roadside shops last month.

Though the department tried to track down the sellers they were not successful.No other complaint has been received from the district in this regard, George Varghese said.

He said that there are no set standards for the storage and marketing of eggs.But tests can be done to determine if hormones were used on chicken.

The chances of artificial eggs being manufactured is very less since it is a sophisticated process, he said. "It will not bring much profit due to the low price of egg and its availability in large quantity, especially in places such as Namakkal inTamil Nadu, from where chicken and eggs are brought to Kerala," George Varghese said.

He said that food safety department will now regularly collect samples of eggs brought to the state and get them tested.