AGARTALA: Worried about the possibility of 'fake eggs' being circulated in the market after an alert issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Tripuragovernment has asked schools to be careful about serving eggs in midday meals.
Director of state elementary education department, U K Chakma said, "Egg-based mid-day meals are often served in Tripura schools as it is a balanced diet. Now we're thinking twice before offering eggs to schoolchildren." "The eggs are artificially synthesised in China using harmful chemicals. All district education officers have been asked to alert schools to be extra vigilant while procuring eggs," added Chakma. He, however, could not offer any leads about how to identify such eggs.
Veterinary experts said fake eggs look reddish in colour, have a rougher surface, and are slightly bigger in size. A health expert, on anonymity, said 'candling' is a process whereby fake eggs can be identified. It involves holding the egg against light, in order to see the yolk and how it lies suspended in the egg. Natural eggs have an air sack at one end. Harmful elements present in fake eggs could give rise to various health disorders, including dementia, a doctor said.
Egg traders, meanwhile, are clueless about the development and said they would wait and watch before taking any decision. "We source our eggs from West Bengal and Andhra. It is not possible for us to check each and every egg," said a trader.
