No Bird Flu Infection In Eggs

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) yesterday allayed public fear about bird flu in eggs.

It said there was no bird flu in eggs, promising to recall eggs laid by possibly infected hens to prevent them from being used in processed products in order to protect consumers.

President, Lagos Chapter of PAN Adedotun Agbojo said as consumers become cautious about the use of eggs, producers would everything to ensure food safety.

Agbojo, who addressed reporters on the World Egg Day in Lagos, said consumers’ safety remained an issue in the industry, adding that producers were working hard to guarantee food safety. Producers, he said, were aware of the dangers of infected poultry products, adding that they have adopted some safety measures which proved effective in controlling disease.

Agbojo said since the bird flu of 2006, the government and the industry had become more committed to ensuring the safety of poultry products. He said it was important to reassure the public that the local poultry industry has not been affected by the bird flu reported in most countries of the world.

The country, he said, had not been hit by food scandals in recent years because producers were making efforts to ensure that good ingredients were used to feed birds that produce eggs.

He said eggs were one of the most versatile foods in the market, adding that eggs have high nutrients, while its protein quality is used as the standard to measure other foods’ protein. Egg protein Agbojo said, was a great source of nutrition for growing children to build muscle.