No SE bacteria detected on eggs from CES 008 farm - DVS

PUTRAJAYA: The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) is conducting further investigations on the CES 008 farm belonging to Lay Hong Bhd following the detection of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) on the consignment of export eggs by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

DVS said samplings of cloaca smears, fecal smears, egg samples, food and water from the layer farm were taken for SE detection test at DVS Salak Tinggi laboratory.

"The results of laboratory tests on the samples did not detect any Salmonella bacteria," it said in a statement today.

DVS said it would hold further discussions with the SFA regarding the matter, adding that it had also conducted investigations of and taken samplings from the CEM 014 farm to test for SE.

"DVS, through the National Animal Disease Control Programme, will enhance the Salmonella monitoring programme at all 276 layer farms nationwide to ensure the supply and safety of marketed eggs," it said.

DVS said SE contamination occurred almost all over the world and that it could happen at the farm due to poor farming practices in terms of biosecurity and hygiene.

He said contamination could also occur along the egg marketing chain due to the unhygienic handling of eggs.

DVS said SE can be destroyed at temperatures above 71?C and consumers are advised to ensure that the eggs purchased are clean, free of fecal contamination, stored in a suitable place and cooked properly before consumption.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) has called on the DVS to take immediate steps to ensure eggs which are exported are safe and not contaminated by the SE bacteria.

"MAFI is also waiting for a full report from DVS about the issue of eggs contaminated with the SE bacteria in Singapore which were from a poultry farm in this country, including the latest incident yesterday where a batch of eggs from another farm here was recalled (by Singapore) after the eggs were found to have been tainted by bacteria," Agriculture and Food Industries Deputy Minister II Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi told reporters after a working visit to the Seri Pulau Area Farmers Organisation in Balik Pulau, Penang today.

He said this when commenting on newspaper reports yesterday about Singapore recalling a batch of eggs from another farm in Malaysia after detecting the presence of the SE bacteria and that the SFA, in an updated Facebook post, said the affected batch had 'CEM014' stamped on it.

Che Abdullah also said that the government had allocated RM35.6 million to 212 Farmers' Organisation Authority (LPP) nationwide this year in a bid to help implement small enterprise projects and unearth more farming entrepreneurs from among its 900,000 members.

-- BERNAMA