Health Dept crack down on bakery; samples collected, challan issued

The Health Department today conducted a significant crackdown on a bakery which was allegedly using rotten eggs for preparing fruit cakes.

A raid was conducted on the directions of Civil Surgeon Pardeep Mohindra under the supervision of District Health Officer Amarjeet Kaur.

Dr Amarjeet Kaur said they got a tip-off regarding Nagina Bakery, located on Tajpur Road, after which a raid was conducted on the bakery.

“The bakery owner was bringing cracked and rotten eggs from the market and storing the pulp of the same in large plastic containers in freezer and using them in the preparation of fruit cakes,” she said.

The bakery was running under unhygienic conditions and no cleanliness was maintained by the owner.

Noor Ali Islam, owner of Nagina Bakery, said he buys cracked eggs from the market. “I buy eggs that are cracked, break them in large containers and store them in bakery freezer,” he said.

Cakes prepared by the bakery are supplied not only across Ludhiana but also to neighbouring districts of Moga, Faridkot, Ferozepur and Barnala.

The department got four quintals of pulp of rotten eggs and 50 boxes of fruit cake. The cake was destroyed on the spot. Samples of cakes and eggs were collected and a challan was issued for preparing food articles under unhygienic conditions.

Besides, the health team also conducted raids at two more bakeries, located on Tibba Road and Tajpur Road, and challans were issued for preparing food items under unhygienic conditions. Seven samples were collected and further action will be taken after the arrival of lab reports.

With the onset of the festival season, people need to be careful while buying food articles, especially sweets, from market as adulteration reaches its peak during this period.

Can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, fever

The owner of the bakery used to buy cracked eggs from the market. Cracked shells act as an entry point for harmful bacteria such as Salmonella. If one consumes eggs contaminated with Salmonella, one may develop food poisoning and digestive issues. The main risk of eating bad eggs is Salmonella infection, which can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and fever.

Check eggs before consumption

• Sniff test: Bad egg will give off an unmistakable smell, regardless of whether it is raw or cooked
• Float test: Gently set egg into a bowl or bucket of water. If it sinks, it’s fresh. If the egg tilts upwards or even floats, it’s old