BREAKING NEWS

27,450 eggs smuggled from PA confiscated

About 27,450 eggs smuggled into Israel from the Palestinian Authority were confiscated on Wednesday night in the Afula and Jerusalem areas, the Agriculture Ministry reported on Thursday. The attempt caused particular alarm due to recent discoveries of a new sub-species of salmonella – enteritidis A – in Israel, which prompted the Agriculture and Health ministries to issue warnings to the public on Wednesday. In light of the new strain of the bacteria, the ministries warned consumers to refrain from buying eggs from unauthorized vendors, and to ensure that all egg and poultry dishes are fully cooked.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been 126 attempts to smuggle eggs from the PA into Israel, leading to the destruction of more than 1 million eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said on Thursday.
"Eggs in particular, and animal products in general, that are produced in the PA territories are prohibited from being marketed in Israel, because we have no veterinary supervision for the method of growth and production, and because we have no ability to control sanitary conditions and the chain of cooling for such a sensitive product," said Roi Kliger, head of the Agriculture Ministry's Central Investigation and Enforcement Unit. "Especially now, in light of the discovery of a new sub-species of salmonella in Israel, it is even more crucial to be sure to buy eggs at known and regulated sales points only."