Importing egg extract could cause spreading of Salmonella: Poultry Association

• The controversial gazette on eggs, they say has created the shortage of eggs

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The All Island Poultry Association (AIPA) said today that the government’s decision to import egg extract will pose a risk of salmonella contamination, President of the All Island Poultry Association, Mathalee Jayasekara said.  

He said fresh shell eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria. The Salmonella bacteria could spread in our country if we imported the eggs.   

But the risk of spreading the bacteria can be minimized by a final food product, as the bacteria are destroyed by the high heat of a baked good such as cake.  
But with the import of this egg extract, the bacteria could be easily spread in the country, and it will cause damage to the egg production in the country. Now, two thirds of the production had been destroyed, Jayasekara said.  

“There is a huge mafia behind this import. The mafia was created after issuing the gazette to control the egg prices. The controversial gazette on eggs, has created the shortage,” Jayasekara said.  

“The importing tax on egg extract was reduced to Rs. 200 from Rs. 1,200, not for the sake of the people in the country. The tax was reduced for the sake of the main government-backed importers. If this gazette were not issued, there would not be an egg shortage in the country. The current egg production was reduced to 30 percent,” Jayasekara said.    

• With the import of this egg extract, the bacteria could be easily spread in the country, and it will cause damage to the egg production in the country.