BY Sumudu Chamara Courtesy The Morning

Balancing consumer demand for cheap protein against the low level risk of possibly introducing Avian influenza/bird flu and evading local egg production industry issues

Sri Lanka is struggling to deal with what could be described as one of the most controversial food-related issues stemming from the economic crisis. The prevailing lack of availability and the high prices of eggs sent shockwaves through the country, due mainly to the fact that eggs are one of the cheapest and most popular sources of protein. At the same time, the egg shortage affected several industries, especially the bakery industry, causing an issue that drew more criticism during the Christmas and New Year season, during which there was an increased demand for eggs.

After several attempts to control egg prices – including a gazette notification issued by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) in August 2022, stipulating a maximum retail price for eggs, which was later suspended by the Court of Appeal, and also a special programme launched by the Government in the Colombo and Gampaha districts to sell eggs at Rs. 55, both of which were unsuccessful in reducing and controlling egg prices in the long run – last week, the Government announced that it is planning to import eggs to combat the shortage and uncontrollable prices of eggs. This was following the granting of Cabinet of Ministers approval for a proposal submitted by Trade, Commerce and Food Security Minister Nalin Fernando for the same.

The potential health risk of imported eggs

The Government’s decision, which is to be implemented soon, received mixed feedback. Consumers and retailers have expressed support for it on the basis that imported eggs are to be priced lower than locally produced eggs, while egg producers and others in that industry condemned this move, adding that the Government must focus on addressing the factors that have made it difficult for them to supply eggs at a lower price instead of importing eggs, which they claimed is unsustainable.

However, last week, allegations were leveled that this decision is an unwise one, not only due to the prices and market-related concerns, but also due to the possibility that imported eggs have the potential to lead Sri Lanka into an unexpected health crisis.

That is the possibility of the spread of Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu – which has caused a number of outbreaks throughout the globe – in Sri Lanka. Based on this concern, the State Veterinary Surgeons’ Association strongly urged the Government to reconsider this decision. Explaining this potential threat, the association’s President Dr. Sisira Piyasiri said that in a context where importing eggs could pose a massive health threat to Sri Lanka, refraining from importing poultry products such as eggs from countries that have recorded the disease is the first step in preventing an outbreak in Sri Lanka. 

He told The Morning: Avian influenza is a viral disease. In order to control such viral diseases, we employ biosecurity measures, which include refraining from importing certain products from countries that are suspected to be at risk of avian influenza. That is the first measure we could take to prevent the spread of this disease. In a context where India has recorded cases of avian influenza, the risk has been controlled through restrictions on importing poultry products from India, because importing such could allow the virus to enter Sri Lanka. It is the Department of Animal Production and Health that should grant permission for the importation of eggs, and permission should be granted after taking into account the relevant measures taken to control the risk.” Adding that there are various safety measures to deal with the said risk, Dr. Piyasiri opined that irrespective of such measures, the standard practice in the world is to refrain from importing poultry products from countries that have been exposed to diseases such as avian influenza.

That is not to say that importing such products allows the virus to enter Sri Lanka. But, there is a possibility of it happening. Due to that possibility and due to the magnitude and damage of such an issue, usually, such risks cannot be taken.” 

He opined that Sri Lanka’s situation is such that there is no room for experts’ opinion to be implemented or to be taken into consideration by decision-making politicians. If the plan to import eggs is implemented, he further said, eggs should be imported from a country that has not been exposed to such diseases and after subjecting such eggs to proper health and safety measures.

In addition, he opined that proper measures should be taken to streamline egg production in the country instead of importation.

Avian influenza and India

Although The Morning attempted to contact Fernando and Trade, Commerce and Food Security Ministry officials to discuss whether the Ministry has paid attention to this alleged risk and from which countries eggs will be imported, they were not reachable. However, citing importers, media reports claimed that India is one of the countries, if not the only one, from which eggs will be imported.

When it comes to the avian influenza in the South Asian region, India attracted serious attention on a number of occasions. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India has reported avian influenza outbreaks in poultry farms every year since the first case was reported in a poultry farm in 2006 in the Maharashtra State. Among the areas that recorded such cases are Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. According to health experts, the type of avian influenza with the greatest risk called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been recorded in India, and the first case of human infection of avian influenza was reported in 2021. Last month, the state of Kerala decided to cull hundreds of birds after an avian flu outbreak.

According to the US’ national public health agency, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the HPAI virus occurs mainly in birds and is highly contagious among them. It added that the HPAI subtype-A (H5N1) strain was first detected in humans in 1997 during a poultry outbreak in Hong Kong, and has since been detected in poultry and wild birds in more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Among the six countries that are considered to be endemic for the HPAI H5N1 strain virus in poultry are Bangladesh and India. The CDC noted that human infections with novel avian influenza viruses like H5N1 are concerning because of the virus’ pandemic potential.

Can avian influenza be transmitted through eggs?

Sri Lanka’s main concern is whether the country could face a risk of avian influenza through imported eggs. However, international health experts and studies show that the likelihood of this happening is minimal. They say that there is no evidence to suggest that the virus that causes avian influenza is transmitted to humans through the consumption of properly cooked poultry or eggs.

Adding that there is no epidemiological evidence to suggest that people have been infected with avian influenza by the consumption of eggs or egg products, in a statement issued in this regard, the WHO said: The HPAI virus can be found inside and on the surface of eggs laid by infected birds. Although sick birds will normally stop producing eggs, eggs laid in the early phase of the disease could contain viruses in the egg white and yolk, as well as on the surface of the shell. Proper cooking inactivates the virus present inside the eggs. Pasteurisation used by the industry for liquid egg products is also effective in inactivating the virus. Eggs from areas with outbreaks in poultry should not be consumed raw or partially cooked (i.e., with runny yolk), the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the WHO advise.”

The US’ food and drug regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has said that the likelihood that eggs from infected poultry are found in the retail market is low, and that proper storage and preparation further reduce the risk. International studies that looked into the human health impact of the virus in shell eggs and egg products suggest that the risk of humans becoming infected with HPAI through the consumption of contaminated shell eggs is low.

The WHO has issued several good hygienic practices that could be taken to avoid any risks of contracting avian influenza through the handling or consumption of eggs. Among them are refraining from consuming raw eggs in or from areas with outbreaks in poultry, refraining from using raw or soft-boiled eggs in food preparations that will not be heat treated or cooked, keeping clean and washing hands after handling eggs, and thoroughly cooking eggs to the point where egg yolks are not runny or liquid.