Have just placed Ego brand of snacks on our blacklist.
We were at NTUC Fairprice Xtra @ NEX when we decided to throw in a packet of red dates. Seeing the attractive red packaging reminds us of the fragrant red dates in Din Dai Fung.
Of course, these are cheapo versions. A packet costs only $2.
Inside this packet, each date is individually wrapped. Upon cutting the main packet, we thought something smells off. We take it that there may be one or two dates that have over-fermented, and that the bulk of it should be alright. So we distributed the individually wrapped dates around.
When we unwrap a few to eat, we found the first one well covered with white fungus.
Could it be crystallized sugar?
To remove all doubts, we brought the date up close to our eye. We could discern furry branch-offs that clearly indicates white moss-like fungus growth. Gross!!!
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| Fungus growth on both sides of red date |
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| Expires "28/10/2015" but the dates doesn't smell fresh |
Unfortunately, we couldn't fully capture the mossy 'feelers' on picture. In fact, some bits of the white fungus got absorbed by the date's moisture as the opened wrapper gets more exposed to air. But seen or unseen, the fungus spores remains. Imagine eating that.
We'd like to think that even the freshest dates may grow fungus under hot weather-cold interior conditions. However, another sniff at the packet, and it became obvious these dates have expired for quite a time.
Unfortunately, the kids have eaten a few dates by the time we shouted for them to stop.
Someone pointed out the article below to us, asking if we have fallen victims to Ego extending their expiring batch perpetually until sold.
The article was July 29, 2013. Today is April 2, 2014. Quite a time has lapsed, so have the steps taken by AVA been ineffective?
We have no doubt NTUC will refund us the $2 but the issue is the fear of health repercussions upon consumption of expired foods.
And it is extremely inconvenient to have to highlight poor service levels. Time could be spent on better things, so most do not bother. Yet if we do not feed back, we do a disservice to other members of the public who will likewise suffer the same.
The article recapped here:-
Food manufacturer tampered with expiry labels
Monday, Jul 29, 2013
The Straits Times
By Janice Tai
SINGAPORE - A food manufacturer has been fined for tampering with the expiry labels on its sweets.
Kee Wee Hup Kee, which makes a brand called Ego that is popular with children, extended the use-by date of one of its products - allegedly by up to several years.
The local company's ruse was exposed after the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), acting on feedback, carried out an inspection in January.
It found that the use-by dates on packs of an imported product called Jelly Sweet were being extended when the candy was repackaged in smaller sizes. The company was fined $900 and all the items that had been tampered with were destroyed.
Packs of Jelly Sweet are still being sold in provision shops and supermarkets. The AVA said these had not been affected and were safe to eat.
A spokesman added that it did not alert the public as there was no health risk.
When contacted, Kee Wee Hup Kee declined to comment.
This is the first time in three years that a local food establishment has been found to have altered use-by dates.
During this period, AVA took action against 12 importers for tampering with the use-by dates of food products, such as snacks, confectionary, and beverages.
All affected products were recalled and destroyed, said the AVA spokesman. The importers were fined between $300 and $1,000.
The agency also conducts regular inspections at AVA-licensed food establishments and investigates feedback it receives.
Consumers Association of Singapore executive director Seah Seng Choon said the public should have been alerted to the issue.
"It concerns all consumers and even though all affected products were recalled and destroyed, consumers would have wanted to know which product was affected for their own knowledge," he said.
The association has not received any complaints involving out-of-date food for the past three years.
But it said it will not hesitate to publicly blacklist repeat offenders who fail to ensure their items are properly labeled.
"Consumers who have inadvertently purchased expired or improperly labelled food products should quickly inform the retailer concerned so that the sale of such products to other buyers can be prevented," said Mr Seah.
