IMPHAL | July 12
In light of the recent report in this paper regarding fake eggs entering the market, the state public health food testing laboratory conducted tests on egg samples procured from whole-sellers.
The report given by the state food analyst, Ch. Sanajaoba Meitei deemed that all necessary tests have been conducted on the samples and it has been deemed safe for human consumption. The lab tested 20 eggs only.
According to the report, the samples were received on July 6 and the physical, chemical and structural tests were conducted. As per the National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC) recommendation, the shelf life of a normal egg is 17 days in winter and 7 days in summer.
During transportation, the ideal temperature of transporting eggs is at 20 degree celsius but the temperature during transportation is at 32 to 34 degrees. It said that higher temperature is observed during transportation and may cause a structural change in the albumin from liquid to slightly rubbery but doesn’t mean that it is a ‘fake’ egg.
The analyst recommended that a manufacturing date/packaging/collection of the egg should be given for public awareness and a storage temperature should be maintained. It may be mentioned that the Kolkota Municipal Council in May last had seized 97,000 eggs for testing of artificial eggs.
Analyst speaks
Regarding the tests of plastic eggs and plastic rice and other adulteration reports , the state food testing lab is currently conducting tests and there is no sign of any plastic rice or eggs found as of yet, Dr S Bimalkumari, food safety consultant of the Food Safety Administration told Imphal Free Press.
She, however, did not rule out the possibility of plastic eggs and rice entering the market. She said that the easiest way to test an egg is to feel the surface of the egg, it is slightly rough and this cannot be replicated in an artificial egg.
For testing rice, a small amount can be put in a transparent glass with water and plastic rice will float up.
“If there is doubt, don’t eat it,” Bimalkumari stated, adding that there is serious adulteration going on in various edible food products. She said that if the public eat adulterated foodstuff for a long time, it becomes a form of slow poisoning.
She warned that most of the processed food coming from Myanmar is unsafe as it has no Food Safety and Standard Authority of India licensing.
She mentioned further that there may be adulteration and preservatives may be added in meat and fish items. The use of pesticides in vegetables, using carbide to ripen bananas is a major health hazard. Spoiled bananas are sometimes used in making banana cake, rotten eggs used to make cake etc.
Formaldehyde in fish
On May 5 last, samples of sareng, pengba, rohu, ngahei, ahila and mackerel from seventeen different retailers were collected for testing to check if any preservative has been added. The samples have been handed over to the state public health laboratory located at Lamphelpat, MACS complex.
The fish are being brought mainly from Andhra Pradesh. The report from the lab is still pending whereas under section 46 of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, the results should be given within 14 days.
The problem of the state food lab not being able to conduct the test is due to lack of a particular scientific apparatus (a condenser) which costs approximately Rs. 5000. The matter of the unavailability of the lab equipment was put up to the chief minister during a press meet held recently.
Designated officer of Imphal West, Y. Satyajeet said that there is high suspicion that preservatives like formaldehyde may be present but the test results are yet to arrive. He added that all samples of rice, noodles, salt and sugar are being tested for adulteration presently.
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