Food sellers, consumers taking precautions
KUALA LUMPUR: Food sellers and consumers are taking steps to ensure that the eggs they buy are cleansed thoroughly and fully cooked to prevent infection caused by Salmonella enteritidis (SE).
Laksa Boise co-founder Naim Zulkifli, 29, from Damansara here, said these steps were crucial to kill the bacteria on the eggs, which could lead to nausea, vomiting and fever when consumed.
“We will usually first check the expiry date before buying the eggs. Since eggs are our main ingredients, we always wash them and ensure the cleanliness before boiling them.
“Nevertheless, we have not received any inquiry or complaint from our customers regarding the matter.”
Some consumers, including retiree Noraida Haroun, 61, from Shah Alam, Selangor, said she was steering clear of eggs for the time being.
“We would always make sure that the eggs are fully cooked. So far, we have not experienced any health problem that could be caused by dishes containing eggs that we cooked,” she said.
Azizah Abdul Kadir, 63, from Merlimau, Melaka, said she had made it a practice to wash raw eggs before cooking them, either boiled or used in fried dishes.
“There will be no half-boiled eggs for us for the time being,” she said.
Malaysia Muslim Consumers Association lead activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said the authorities should zero in on the egg brands supplied by the farms being investigated.
“Checks should also be conducted on distributors, by checking their delivery orders to find any indication of compromised product seal, for instance.
“If there is any proof of this, immediate steps to control possible contamination should be taken.
“Consumers can check the products before buying them and reporting them (instances of product safety breach) to the authorities.”
Nadzim said the association had yet to receive any complaint from the public on the matter.