Consumers warned on frozen eggs

Pricey fresh eggs drive frozen eggs sale

The Philippine Egg Board Association on Monday warned the public against buying frozen eggs from wet markets because they do not meet food safety standards.

In a radio interview, PEBA president Irwin Ambal said frozen eggs “are cracked eggs that could not be sold or be placed on a tray.”

“Some poultry farmers put the eggs together in a plastic bag, which in turn are placed in a pail,” Ambal said.

Frozen eggs usually need to be kept in a cold chain, either in a chiller or freezer, according to Ambal.

“There’s a bakeshop that uses frozen eggs but we discourage that because these are not in accordance with standards. But due to the economic pinch, many industries use them, mostly bakeries,” Ambal added.

Frozen eggs — which are usually deshelled, placed in a plastic bag, and kept in a freezer — are being sold at the Mega Q Mart in Quezon City for P55 per kilo as of Monday.

Buyers preferred them because their price is lower than fresh eggs.

Per tray of fresh eggs sell at Mega Q Mart for P210 for extra-small ones, P220 for tiny ones, P227 for the medium-size, P235 for large eggs, P246 for extra-large and P252 for jumbos.

one buyer said she would thaw the frozen eggs first, season them, and then use them to make torta (omelet).

Another customer suggested buying deshelled frozen eggs as fresh ones need to be cracked anyway. He makes soup or sarciado using frozen eggs.

Some prefer buying frozen eggs if they can cook them straight away.

Frozen eggs are sold in at least 30 plastic bags every day, one vendor said.

He claimed that frozen eggs are “clean” because these are cracked at the farm.

The wet market also sells eggs with crack in addition to frozen eggs.