A batch of about 2,000 cartons of eggs imported from Brazil had been mislabeled with an incorrect expiration date, but only about 600 to 900 cartons are expected to be recalled, as the others have been sold, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.
A post by an agriculture-themed Facebook page on Sunday asked why data from the Ministry of Agriculture showed that the most recent shipment of eggs imported from Brazil was loaded on May 30, but were still on supermarkets shelves with an expiration date of Oct. 5, despite having a shelf life of 120 days.
Tai Nong Egg Products (台農蛋品), the distributor, on Tuesday said that it had printed an incorrect expiration date on the eggs.
Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung Department of Health via CNA
The correct expiration dates should be from Sept. 25 to 27, it said, adding that it would recall the unsold eggs.
FDA Southern Center Director Wei Jen-ting (魏任廷) yesterday said that about 2,000 cartons had been delivered to PX Mart supermarkets.
PX Mart estimated that it had taken 600 to 900 cartons off its shelves, while the others had been sold, Wei said.
Tai Nong Egg Products contravened the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) by printing incorrect expiration dates, so it faces a fine of NT$40,000 to NT$4 million (US$1,251 and US$125,125), he said.
However, it can continue to sell the eggs if it fixes the expiration dates before they expire, he said.
FDA Deputy Director Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said that as of yesterday, all of the eggs with incorrect expiration dates had been removed from shelves.
People can return mislabeled eggs at PX Marts and get a refund, Lin said.
People who have eaten the eggs do not have to be worried, as they have not yet expired, he added.
Reporters asked Lin about comments by the Ministry of Agriculture that the eggs imported from Brazil had been coated with wax to extend their shelf life.
Information the importer provided did not mention whether they were wax-coated, Lin said.
The eggs were washed in Brazil and washed again in Taiwan, which made it clear that they were not coated with wax, he said.
Decisions about coating the eggs is up to distributors, he said, adding that there is no difference between coated and uncoated for eggs that are produced domestically.
In other news, FDA Deputy Director Cheng Hwei-fang (陳惠芳) said that the FDA has revised its controlled drugs classifications, with phenobarbital and chlordiazepoxide to be listed as Category 4 controlled drugs from Dec. 1.
To prevent improper use of the sedatives after the new policy takes effect, facilities that have the compounds would need to apply for a controlled drugs license, keep a daily log of use and periodically report usage to the FDA, Cheng said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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