The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 4) that a trace of the antibiotic metronidazole was detected in a sample of Ukrainian eggs. The center is following up on the incident.

A spokesperson for the center said: "Through the food incident monitoring system, the center was informed that the Singapore Food Authority issued a notice stating that the above-mentioned eggs produced at Baryshevska Farm in Ukraine were found to exceed local standards for metronidazole and therefore are prohibited from being imported locally.

"After learning of the incident, the center immediately contacted the Ukrainian and Singaporean authorities; as well as major local importers to follow up. The center also immediately implemented deduction arrangements to strengthen inspections of the egg products imported by the farms involved, requiring importers to wait for the egg products to pass the inspection. It can be sold later. The center's preliminary investigation revealed that an importer had imported a batch of affected products, and a sample taken by one of the centers for testing was found to contain metronidazole at 0.1 part per billion."

"The center has notified the importer involved in the above-mentioned test results. Under the deduction arrangement, the batch of products has been detained for inspection and has not been exported to the local market."

The spokesman added: “For the sake of prudence, the CFS also immediately suspended the import and sale of egg products from the farms concerned. Trades who hold the affected products from the farms mentioned above should immediately stop using or selling them.”

According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in view of the effects of metronidazole and its metabolites on health, food regulatory authorities should try to avoid food containing metronidazole residues.

Article 52 of the "Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance" stipulates that any person who sells food whose nature, substance, or quality is not in conformity with the food requested by the purchaser, so that it is disadvantageous to the purchaser, is a crime. The maximum penalty is a fine of 10,000 yuan and imprisonment for three months.

The center has notified the Ukrainian authorities about the suspension of imports, and will also notify the local industry, and will continue to follow up the incident and take appropriate actions to protect food safety and public health. The investigation continues.

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