3,900 fake country chicken eggs seized

This has come to light with the seizure of about 3,900 fake country chicken eggs from traders in Coimbatore on Sunday. Following frequent complaints, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) officials conducted a co-ordinated raid in vegetable markets, fish markets and ‘Ulavar Sandhai’ and seized the fake eggs.

As many as six teams of FSSAI fanned out across the district to carry out simultaneous checks. The teams descended on Ukkadam fish market, Lorrypet fish market, Ulavar Sandhai in Singanallur, RS Puram and Vadavalli, MGR Market on Mettupalayam Road and Anna Market at 6 am.

Ten persons were caught with 3,900 fake country chicken eggs from these places. “They all were from Namakkal and Salem district. On every Sunday, they bring coloured broiler chicken eggs in a huge vessel and sell them off as country chicken eggs. Each of them would bring about 500 eggs for sale and sell them for Rs 7 a piece,” said K Tamilselvan, Designated Food Safety Officer, Coimbatore.  

The FSSAI officials served a warning notice to the offenders and destroyed the seized eggs.  “They were not penalised and let off with a warning as this is the first time they are getting caught for the offence. The public can identify the fake eggs either by just scratching the egg shell or by rubbing an egg, dipped in water, with a cloth,” he added.