The_King

SINGAPORE - The police will now have powers to control the bank accounts of stubborn scam victims in Singapore who insist they are not being scammed despite evidence showing otherwise. With the Protection from Scams Act coming into effect on July 1, the police will be allowed to issue restriction orders (ROs) to banks, which will then limit the banking transactions of an individual’s accounts. The Act, which was passed in Parliament on Jan 7, will enable the police to better protect scam victims by stopping them from transferring money into other accounts, using ATMs, and accessing credit services. In-person and over-the-counter transactions will also be restricted for them. Those subjected to an RO will still have access to money for legitimate reasons, including paying bills and buying daily essentials like groceries. On June 30, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said ROs will be issued if it is believed these scam victims will transfer money to scammers. The police said one of the biggest challenges they face is convincing people they are victims of a scam. Without the Act, the police cannot stop victims from doing what they want with their money, even if they are suspected of being scammed. MHA said ROs will be issued only as a last resort, after other options to convince victims have been exhausted. The decision to issue an RO will be made by a police officer, based on an assessment of the facts and circumstances of each case, said the ministry. Once the decision is made, ROs will be issued by default to the seven major retail banks here – OCBC Bank, DBS Bank, UOB, Maybank, Standard Chartered, Citibank and HSBC – but can also be issued to other banks. ROs will take effect for up to 30 days at a time and can be extended up to five times, which means they can last for up to six months. The police can cancel an RO ahead of the 30-day limit if the individual is assessed to be no longer at risk of being scammed. Appeals against the RO can be made to the Commissioner of Police, whose decision will be final. MHA had said 10 or more ROs could be issued monthly, based on previous cases in which the police were unsuccessful in intervening. In 2024, scam victims in Singapore lost $1.1 billion, a record high in a single year. The police saw the highest number of scam reports in 2024, with 51,501 cases compared with 46,563 cases the previous year. Overall, victims in Singapore have lost more than $3.4 billion to scams since 2019. In more than three in four cases in 2024, victims had voluntarily transferred money without scammers gaining direct control of their bank accounts. Advertisement The police said these victims were manipulated into transferring money through deception and social engineering. The most common ruse in 2024 was e-commerce scams, with 11,665 reported cases. Victims of investment scams saw the highest amount of losses, with $320.7 million lost to such scams.

let our pollution power combine "Super radiation! Deforestation! Smog! Toxic! Hate!"

Here are the top 8 highest reliable air temperatures ever recorded on Earth: 56.7 °C (134 °F) – Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, California, USA (July 10, 1913) – officially recognized by the WMO en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15 55.0 °C (131 °F) – Kebili, Tunisia (July 7, 1931) ecoclimax.com+11worldatlas.com+11weatherdirectory.com+11 54.0 °C (129.2 °F) – Tirat Tsvi, Israel (June 21, 1942) en.wikipedia.org+4worldatlas.com+4infoplease.com+4 54.0 °C (129 °F) – Mitribah, Kuwait (July 21, 2016) – WMO‑verified: 53.9 °C ±0.1 °C ecoclimax.com+10sciencefocus.com+10wmo.int+10 53.7 °C (128.7 °F) – Turbat, Pakistan (May 28, 2017) – WMO puts it as 53.7 °C ±0.4 °C vividmaps.com+3sciencefocus.com+3wmo.int+3 53.7 °C (128 °F) – Basra, Iraq (July 22, 2016) – part of regional heat wave vividmaps.com+2sciencefocus.com+2weatherdirectory.com+2 53.6 °C (128.5 °F) – Mohenjo‑Daro, Sindh, Pakistan (May 26, 2010) en.wikipedia.org+8worldatlas.com+8sciencefocus.com+8 53.0 °C (127.4 °F) – Ali Air Base, Nasiriyah, Iraq (August 3, 2011) weatherdirectory.com+8worldatlas.com+8thetimes.co.uk+8

in short $$ + MSM + brainwash etc...... the earth is so small how to even stop it?

they prefer to monitor

me very long nv eat le, maybe selected store is cheap

last few month got social midea posting on it too bad the goverement got no iron

they only know there drug because of traffic accident, like i say id stuff like this can be brought into Singapore so easily. what other more dangerous stuff like sarin, anthrax that nv discover yet

Dermatologists advised against popping pimples with unclean hands and using unregulated products. 15-year-old girl in Hanoi dies from bacterial infection instigated by squeezing pimples A 15-year-old girl in Hanoi, Vietnam, reportedly died after squeezing her pimples and applying an unverified topical product at home. According to a statement by Vietnam’s National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on Friday (27 June), the girl developed septic shock caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that entered through inflamed acne lesions on her face. Source: Canva. For illustrative purposes only. According to Vietnamese news outlet Hoa Học Trò, the bacteria spread quickly in the girl’s body, damaging both her brain and lungs. Despite intensive care including mechanical ventilation and continuous blood filtration, she did not respond to treatment and later passed away. Another woman diagnosed with infection following acne squeezing In another serious case, a 32-year-old woman was admitted to a local hospital in a critical condition due to a severe facial infection. Six days before hospitalisation, the woman had squeezed a pimple on her forehead with her fingers and applied acne cream on her own. Within a few days, the affected area became red, swollen, and filled with yellow pus, spreading to her left eye, accompanied by high fever and pain. She initially sought treatment at a private clinic, but her condition did not improve. Saved by timely medical care She was later transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, where she arrived weakened, with severe swelling on her forehead and a large abscess filled with pus. Doctors diagnosed her with subcutaneous cellulitis, a dangerous type of soft tissue infection that may lead to sepsis, multiple organ failure, and even death. Fortunately, in her case, timely medical intervention and intensive antibiotic therapy led to significant recovery, reports Vietnamese news media Soha. Proper treatment of acne is advised to prevent such infections A dermatologist at the hospital explained that popping pimples with unclean hands can damage the skin and allow bacteria to penetrate deeper, potentially causing cellulitis or sepsis if not promptly addressed, as reported by Vietnam’s news site Tin tức 24h. Source: Canva. For illustrative purposes only. “People should avoid squeezing pimples at home and instead seek treatment at reputable medical facilities if extraction is needed,” she said. She also advised maintaining good hygiene, avoiding touching the face, and not using acne products of unknown origin. For those who need to wear makeup, she emphasised choosing non-comedogenic products and ensuring the skin is properly cleansed afterwards.

A 75-year-old Yishun resident alleged her neighbours threw away her plants for causing their son's dengue in an ongoing dispute that goes back years. Since then, the conflict between the two households at Block 107 Yishun Ring Road has escalated over other incidents, according to Stomper A, who is the resident's daughter. She shared the multiple police reports that have been made, and added that both parties have gone for mediation more than once. The Stomper said: "My elderly mother has had long-standing issues with her neighbours after they threw away a dozen of her potted orchids in charcoal, accusing her of causing their son to get dengue. "They denied it, and it went to mediation where Nee Soon Town Council allowed my mother to have her plants relocated to the lift lobby because she kept them clean, and never had mosquitoes over the decades, even with random checks. "However, things were patched up five years ago, and we slowly got to friendly terms until the family went back to India for an extended period of time. "The wife returned and started burning heavily perfumed incense while keeping their entire unit sealed up except for the kitchen and front door which is adjacent to our door. "As our home is a corner unit, the wind coming through the kitchen would blow the heavily perfumed stale air out her front door and into our second-storey flat. The smell is so strong, you can even smell it from downstairs. "I tried to let her know we are quite sensitive to perfumes, which cause us migraines. I suggested they air their flat by opening their living room windows to ventilate." So there was another mediation. The Stomper said: "Even though the mediator saw our problem and asked them to sign an agreement to ventilate, dismissed their accusations of us being racist and having more than 100 pots of plants, the main problem persists. "They would only ventilate for less than an hour before sealing back up. This does not help the situation, so we have been going to the Meet The People sessions to get some help." Then came an incident in February 2024. In one of the police reports seen by Stomp, the Stomper's mother said: "I accidentally dropped a pail of water in the corridor and I laughed out loud at myself. "The son, who was now grown up, came rushing out the door, shouting, 'Hey, can you explain to me why you mock us?' "I was in shock... so I shouted back at him. His father came out to ask, "Why do you always make trouble for us?' without even asking his son what happened. "I was scared, shivering, cried and later called the police. The police asked the son why he did what he did. He replied, 'I wanted to protect my mother.' "From that day to May 2024, the neighbours would shout unkind words directed at me when I am walking along the corridor or when I am sitting on the steps outside my home. They would also bang their front door to shock me." PHOTOS: STOMP In June 2024, the Stomper's mother got a doctor's note from Yishun Polyclinic that she had been feeling breathless and having migraines, which had been "worsened by burning incense daily in the environment". The doctor added: "She reports undergoing deep frustration and emotional stress over an ongoing conflict with neighbour, a matter which has been undergoing mediation and already surfaced to the police and town council. "Clinically, she is adherent to her diabetes, hypertension and asthma medications. She also consults the psychiatrist and has been increased on her medication there." According to a note from the psychiatrist, the Stomper's mother's condition was "adversely affected by the recent conflicts with her neighbour and the incense she was burning". Then earlier this month, something else happened. The Stomper recounted: "The last straw came when my mother resorted to spraying some natural citronella mosquito repellent while walking the corridor, and immediately, I got a call from Nee Soon Town Council because the neighbours accused us of spraying 'into' their flat. "This is not only untrue, but also impossible because their windows are closed 23 hours of the day. The only way we can spray into their flat is to spray directly into their front door where there is a CCTV, which would capture this if this were true. "These neighbours got away with installing CCTV in the corridor and pointing out of their window at us for several months until they were ordered to remove them. "Now they are yet again trying to muddle the issue by asking me to move my bicycle as well. Even though it is a corner unit and my bicycle is not in their way at all, this has become yet another issue we have to talk about instead of the main issue of not ventilating. "My mother works from home and has to deal with the smell all day, every day. "The son would come out of their flat at my mother aggressively when she dropped a pot, and even tried to bang her on her shoulder while walking past her in the corridor." The Stomper told Stomp: "I have refrained from writing to the media about this, but I have run out of options." In response to a Stomp query, a Nee Soon Town Council spokesperson said: "We are aware of the feedback regarding a neighbourly dispute involving residents at Block 107 Yishun Ring Road. "The town council has been engaging the parties involved and has encouraged them to seek resolution through the appropriate channels, including mediation. It is noted that both parties attended a session of community mediation in July last year and attempted to resolve the issue amicably. "The town council has also rendered assistance where appropriate, including inspecting and addressing municipal matters within our purview. "We remain committed to fostering a safe and respectful living environment for all residents. We encourage neighbours to approach such matters with mutual understanding and consideration."

https://www.facebook.com/shinmindailynewsxinmingribao/videos/2086472588505599

The question is how come so drug can be brought into Singapore so easily. If can brought into sg so easily, what about those more dangerous stuff like sarin, anthrax etc. ...

Mixing is ky for me but the food like lao sai sauce and double Pricing is BKY so me avoid

confirm taste is not the same as in HK

keyword: Food Republic

Remember Mak’s Noodle from Hong Kong? It opened in Singapore 2015 at Centrepoint, serving wonton noodles. It branched out to a second outlet in Westgate, before quietly exiting Singapore altogether in 2022. That brand was founded in Hong Kong by the son of Guangzhou’s “King of Wonton Noodles”, Mak Woon-chi, the man who started all the Mak’s noodle spin-offs. Back then, it was brought to Singapore via a joint venture between its third-gen owner Tony Yung and F&B company Asia Gourmet. Now, its close rival is venturing into Singapore – with a Muslim-friendly twist. Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop, the 68-year-old Michelin Bib Gourmand wonton mee brand from Jordan in Kowloon, Hong Kong, will be coming to Singapore on 18 July 2025. Well, sort of. Its noodles will be served exclusively at cha chaan teng Joy Luck Teahouse’s new dine-in outlet at Food Republic in Causeway Point. No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg. 1of7 A tale of two Mak’s Mak Man Kee and Mak’s Noodle both trace their roots back to the same noodle patriarch – Mak Woon-chi, who earned the title of Guangzhou’s King of Wonton Noodles in the 1920s as he sold his food from a pushcart. But they’re very much separate businesses, run by different branches of the Mak family. Mak’s Noodle on Wellington Street in Central, Hong Kong was opened in 1968 by Woon-chi’s son, Mak King-hung. His younger brother was the chef. Today, Mak’s Noodle is still going strong in Hong Kong, with four outlets run by Woon-chi’s grandsons. 2of7 Mak Man Kee in Hong Kong Mak Man Kee’s legacy Meanwhile, Mak Man Kee was started by an uncle in the family. He began his biz via a roaming food cart in Jordan in 1945, before opening his first brick-and-mortar outlet at 51 Parkes Street in 1957. The shop has clinched a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since 2018. 3of7 Modified Muslim-friendly recipe for diners in Singapore For its Singapore debut, Mak Man Kee’s wonton noodles have been modified for Muslim diners to be in line with Joy Luck Teahouse’s pork-free menu. Instead of the usual pork, the handmade wontons here feature a chicken and prawn filling. Meanwhile, the soup is brewed with dried flounder, shrimp shells and chicken bones. The noodles are made fresh in Singapore using Mak’s traditional recipe, though duck eggs (used in HK) are not allowed here, so they’re substituted with chicken eggs. The final product was personally taste-tested and approved by Mak Man Kee’s current owner, Lesley Mak, the granddaughter of Mak Woon Chi. 4of7 Noodles slightly larger portion in SG vs HK Priced at $8.80 per bowl, the Mak Man Kee Wonton Noodles (available dry or with soup) will be exclusive to Joy Luck Teahouse’s menu. Diners can also try their Zha Jiang Mian ($8.80), made with chicken instead of pork in a rich braised sauce. 5of7 Wonton noodles at Mak Man Kee Hong Kong Photo: Google/Tony Wu The portion sizes in Singapore will be slightly bigger than in HK, where the noodles are famously served in a bowl a little bigger than a Chinese rice bowl and cost from HKD$46 (about S$7.50). To ensure authenticity, Joy Luck’s kitchen team travelled to Hong Kong to train with Mak Man Kee’s chefs. 6of7 Artist impression of Joy Luck Teahouse at Food Republic in Causeway Point While there won’t be a separate Mak Man Kee stall within Joy Luck Teahouse, an in-store poster will be displayed to let diners know there is a Joy Luck x Mak Man Kee collaboration. The noodles will only be available at this branch for now, since it’s the only Joy Luck Teahouse outlet with seating. 7of7 Robert Chua (left), Lesly Mak (middle) and Robert's wife, Peggy Chua. How the collab came about This collaboration was brought about by Robert Chua, the Singaporean broadcaster and businessman behind Joy Luck Teahouse, who previously brought in Hong Kong brands like Kam’s Roast and Tim Ho Wan. “Robert met with Lesley Mak, the current owner of Mak Man Kee, and the two bonded over their shared passion for preserving heritage brands. With 68 years of history, Lesley trusted Robert to bring Mak Man Kee to Singapore for the first time,” says a Joy Luck Teahouse PR rep. Mak Man Kee’s wonton mee will be available at Joy Luck Teahouse at #04-01/02/03/04 Food Republic, Causeway Point, 1 Woodlands Square, S738099 from 18 July 2025. Open daily 10am-10pm. More info via Instagram & Website.

gxgx finally they discover it

SINGAPORE - A spike in cabin theft cases in Asia has been blamed on members of organised crime groups, who catch short-transit flights – including trips to Singapore – to steal small items from passengers. Hong Kong has been one of the worst hit, with 169 cases of in-flight theft involving HK$4.32 million (S$700,000) in valuables recorded in the first 10 months of 2024 – a 75 per cent increase from the same period the previous year. In an interview with The Straits Times, Assistant Commissioner M. Malathi, who is commander of the Airport Police Division, said that in-flight theft cases are difficult to detect and investigate. She said syndicate members, who work in pairs to steal from unsuspecting passengers, often catch a flight out of Singapore soon after landing at Changi Airport. “They will only take some cash and maybe one or two cards. They won’t take your whole wallet, because if they do, it is easier to notice,” said AC Malathi, who added that the authorities have a short lead time before the suspects leave on an outbound flight. “A timely report is important for our officers to quickly track and trace the suspects and intercept them before they catch their next flight,” she said, adding that passengers should always keep their valuables on them and remain vigilant. The International Air Transport Association (Iata), which represents about 300 airlines, had flagged concerns on June 3 after members indicated a spike in in-flight theft cases over the last 12 to 18 months. Many of the affected routes were in Asia. According to reports, Malaysia saw a significant increase in onboard theft cases, with the authorities receiving 146 reports in the first 10 months of 2024, compared with 88 in the previous year and 33 in 2022. The authorities in Vietnam reported that criminals often purchase last-minute tickets, avoid checked baggage, and switch between domestic and international flights and different carriers to avoid detection. Singapore Airlines (SIA) declined to share statistics and information regarding theft cases on board, but said cabin crew are trained to be vigilant and alert the authorities of any suspicious behaviour on flights. “Should there be a suspected theft case, SIA and Scoot will assist the affected customer and will cooperate fully with the authorities in their investigations,” a spokesman for the SIA Group told ST. At its general meeting in India, Iata said that many of the theft cases appear to be organised from China. The police in Singapore declined to reveal where the syndicates operate from, but checks by ST showed that four out of five people who were charged in 2025 over cabin theft were Chinese nationals. AC Malathi said in-flight theft picked up around the time air travel started to recover after the Covid-19 pandemic. “We see more of these syndicates working as air travel picks up. Singapore is not the only location. This is happening worldwide,” she said. Between January and May, three people were charged in Singapore for theft on board an aircraft. Only one person was charged in the same period in 2024. More recently, two Chinese nationals were arrested and charged in court on June 4 after being accused of stealing from passengers while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Liu Xitang, 35, and Wang Wei, 40, are accused of taking $169 in cash and two debit cards from another passenger. In May, Chinese national Zhang Kun, 51, pleaded guilty to stealing a credit card and more than $200 in cash from a passenger on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in March. The Airport Police Division said it tries to identify potential syndicate members by looking out for a common trend of behaviour, including frequent travel and transit flights, often with just a two- or three-hour transit period. “We use data analytics in general to identify these people that could be of interest coming into Singapore, and to aid our investigation process,” said AC Malathi, who added that criminals operate across all classes of travel. AC Malathi, who is commander of the APD, said in-flight theft cases are difficult to detect and investigate.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Another area of concern she flagged during the interview was shop theft in transit areas in Changi Airport, which saw 37 cases between January and May. There were a total of 109 cases in 2024, and 129 cases the year before. “These crimes are very opportunistic. Some travellers walk into the shops and take what they want and walk off. “Some of them get emboldened if they get away the first time,” said AC Malathi. To help address the issue, the Airport Police Division has been using robots since 2023 to patrol the airport as a way to beef up police presence. The robots are equipped with sensors and cameras that can capture footage and allow the public to communicate with officers. AC Malathi said a new patrol robot called Gibson, which will be equipped to transport an officer, will be launched later in 2025. More details will be revealed later.

SINGAPORE – To shop for eggs in Singapore is to be met with a wall of choice. They come fresh and processed. From as far away as Ukraine or as near as Lim Chu Kang. Some are packed with omega-3, others enhanced with lutein. Decisions, decisions. How did these “designer” eggs come to be? And, more importantly, do they taste any different? With the production of local eggs on the rise – farms here were responsible for 34.4 per cent of eggs consumed in 2024, up from 31.9 per cent in 2023 – The Straits Times speaks to Singapore’s three local egg farms to crack the code. May the best brand win At the farms in Lim Chu Kang, production runs like clockwork, with humans and machines working in tandem to churn out hundreds of thousands of eggs a day. That number could be greater. Seng Choon Farm is operating only at around 85 per cent capacity, as is Chew’s Agriculture. N&N Agriculture is at 90 per cent capacity. The only thing holding them back is the demand for eggs, which farmers say is on a downward trend. In the case of Chew’s Agriculture, sales have dropped by around 10 to 15 per cent over the last few months, says general manager Chew Zi Xuan, 38. In September 2023, Turkey became Singapore’s 19th egg source. It joins countries such as Thailand, Australia and Poland in feeding the hunger here for the low-cost, versatile protein. In line with the Republic’s 30 by 30 vision, in which Singapore aspires to produce 30 per cent of nutritional needs locally by 2030, a third of its egg supply is currently produced domestically. Then Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon pointed to this statistic as a bright spot amid agri-food challenges in his Committee of Supply speech in March. But local farmers say the business is not always all it is cracked up to be. Despite the aid of robotics and attempts to streamline operations wherever possible, there is only so much they can do to offset the higher cost of production in Singapore. Seng Choon Farm has been producing eggs since the 1980s. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO Seng Choon Farm operates a 14.5ha facility in Jalan Gemala. Its managing director Koh Yeow Koon, 49, says: “Pushing local farms to increase food production is like putting the cart before the horse. We can’t increase supply without pushing up consumer demand. “We will never be cheaper than other South-east Asian farms because land and labour are expensive, and we’re subjected to land leases, while they have freehold farms.” For example, a carton of 10 fresh eggs from Malaysia, weighing 500g in total, retails at $2.65 at FairPrice supermarkets, while a similar box from Brunei (550g) is priced at $2.85. In comparison, Singapore’s Chew’s Rise & Shine Farm Fresh Eggs (450g) cost $3.05, Seng Choon’s Farm Fresh Eggs (550g) cost $3.88 and N&N Big Fresh Eggs cost $4.55. For the last price, however, consumers get larger 65g orbs. It comes as no surprise then, that in a “cost of living crisis, customers switch to cheaper eggs, whatever they can get”, observes Mr Chew. The reluctance to buy local is not new. For most of their decades-long careers, these farmers have struggled to encourage customers to see the value in local eggs. And stressing their lower carbon footprint, fresher produce that hits supermarket shelves within a day of being laid, and tighter biosecurity has not always moved the needle in consumer choices. This is where branding comes into play. “We can’t compete on price, so we try to have some value-added aspect to our products. In our case, by augmenting the feed of the chickens with different nutrients, like omega-3 or organic selenium,” says Mr Chew, who manages a 20ha farm in Neo Tiew Road. “These are nutrients and minerals that we need. So, instead of taking a supplement, you can get the nutrients naturally through the eggs.” N&N Agriculture has an 11.6ha farm in Neo Tiew Lane. Its chief executive Ma Chin Chew, 57, says: “An egg is an egg. But we have to think of something to differentiate ours.” His solution? A range of offerings marketed as firstborn eggs, premium quality corn eggs and the company’s crown jewel – pasteurised eggs, the only ones produced in Singapore. These sell for $5.20 for a 600g carton of 10 at Cold Storage. Telling the difference But do these branded eggs taste any different? Not really, admits Mr Ma. “The colour and taste are the same, since the hens’ feed is generally made up of the same ingredients: corn and soya bean,” he says. As is the case with Chew’s Egg – produced by Chew’s Agriculture – and Seng Choon Farm. Mr Koh says: “We have to keep the taste consistent throughout the Seng Choon brand, so customers are assured of the taste they’ll get. “Some say they can taste the difference between our different products, but I think it depends on their cooking style.” Most of the chickens in Seng Choon Farm’s coop are fed on the same diet.ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO Where the eggs differ is in terms of nutritional value. This varies depending on the feed of the hens, as well as the way the eggs are handled and packed. Pasteurised eggs, sold by N&N Agriculture’s Egg Story brand, for instance, are laid by hens fed on a diet said to lower cholesterol and contain higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6, as well as vitamin D or E. The eggs are then submerged in a 60 deg C water bath, a process that helps to kill salmonella and viruses that cause bird flu. A coat of oil is subsequently applied to prevent the entry of contaminants, before the eggs are stored in a chiller to preserve their freshness. Mr Ma warns, however, that this process does not necessarily extend their shelf life, and urges customers to consume them as soon as possible, as with all eggs. Mr Ma Chin Chew, chief executive of N&N Agriculture, with some of the company’s products in a 2019 photograph.PHOTO: ST FILE Ms Karthika Thirugnanam, a clinical nutritionist at private clinic Tucker Medical, says these eggs are best consumed by children, seniors, pregnant women and those with a low immune system. They are also ideal for recipes that call for runny or half-cooked yolks. She adds that eggs with higher levels of selenium – like those sold by Chew’s Egg at $4.90 a 550g pack at FairPrice – can boost immunity and thyroid health with its antiviral properties. Each egg, she estimates, contains about 10 to 20 per cent of a person’s recommended daily allowance of 55 micrograms of selenium. Omega-3 eggs – which Chew’s Egg sells at $4.30 a 550g pack at FairPrice – might help augment brain and heart health, especially among those who do not consume enough fish. For optimal effect, two or more eggs have to be consumed each day. Carrot eggs laid by hens fed on a lutein-rich diet also require consistent intake to improve the eye and skin health of consumers. These are sold by Seng Choon for $4.55 a 640g pack at FairPrice. Ms Thirugnanam cautions, though, that while these nutrient boosts are helpful, they should not replace supplements and do not on their own constitute a balanced diet. Those with a family history of high cholesterol or who consume high levels of saturated fats should also moderate their intake of eggs. Moreover, not all types of “branded” eggs have discernable health benefits. For instance, golden corn eggs, named thus for the high-grade maize its hens feed on, are not necessarily lower in calories or higher in protein than the average fresh egg, she says. Different types of eggs from Seng Choon Farm.ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO Still, with 12 eggs packed into each $3.59 carton, instead of the usual 10, families get more bang for their buck. The eggs are also smaller – weighing just over 50g, compared with the 64g carrot egg. Firstborn eggs, traditionally believed to be more nutritious, tend to be smaller, at around 40g each, and are unlikely to contain any added nutrients. “Their benefits are mostly taste-based – fresher, traditionally tastier – and they are best for general consumers,” she says. Mr Koh adds that this range might lend itself better to braised eggs, owing to their bouncy or “Q” texture. At the other end of the size spectrum is Seng Choon’s jumbo eggs, which tip the scales at 70g each and tease the prospect of a fabled double yolk. A pack of six sells for $3.12 on online retailer RedMart. With regard to egg marketing, the Health Promotion Board tells ST that farms do not need to seek pre-market approvals for health claims on their food products – for instance, that selenium helps to maintain the immune system’s normal function. However, businesses must ensure that they maintain evidence to substantiate such labels. They may also be asked to produce supporting documents, such as laboratory reports, to substantiate the information on their nutrition information panels during compliance checks. A fragile industry Despite attempts to get creative, local farms have found that their base range of fresh eggs are still the most popular, largely due to their lower prices. Within Chew’s Egg’s range, for example, 10 Farm Fresh Eggs (450g) cost $1.10 less than its omega-6 eggs ($4.15 for a 550g pack of 10) at FairPrice. Plus, not all supermarkets choose to stock “branded” eggs. ST understands that the types of eggs available at FairPrice stores depends on each location’s customer preferences, which remain shaped largely by prices. Mr Ma says: “Acceptability of our pasteurised eggs is still very low in supermarkets. It’s mainly restaurants like Keisuke (a Japanese ramen and tendon chain with 17 outlets) that are using our eggs.” Meanwhile, Chew’s Egg’s cage-free range, which starts at $4.15 for a six-pack weighing 330g, has been keenly received by consumers. The preferred option of the environmentally conscious cook, it has proven popular with some restaurants and hotels too. Rows of cage-free chickens at Chew’s Agriculture.ST PHOTO: RYAN CHIONG One of its customers is Marina Bay Sands (MBS). The vast majority of eggs served at its restaurants and Expo & Convention Centre are now cage-free. “Transitioning to cage-free eggs allows us to support suppliers with more sustainable practices and, at the same time, educate our culinary teams and guests on animal welfare,” says an MBS spokesperson. “Our chefs have observed that cage-free eggs are tastier and boast a brighter egg yolk colour, which is more palatable to diners.” On the other hand, another customer, Mr Nick Heath, general manager of JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach, says: “While quality and taste may not differ dramatically, cage-free eggs are preferred at our hotel as we recognise that animal welfare is an important part of conducting sustainable hotel operations.” About 90 per cent of the eggs served at the hotel’s restaurants, such as Beach Road Kitchen, Akira Back and Madame Fan, are cage-free. Mr Chew says the farm is looking at ramping up its cage-free capacity to keep up with the shift towards a more sustainable future. But to get there, the company will have to brace itself for turbulent headwinds. Like the product itself, the egg industry is a fragile one. One bout of bird flu, and all the best-laid plans come crashing down. The United States, for instance, has been dogged by shell-shocking egg prices for months, with a dozen fetching as high as US$6.23 (S$8) on average in March – a spike driven primarily by avian influenza. In the coops of Lim Chu Kang, hens, from countries like the Netherlands and Malaysia, are safe for now. Chew’s Agriculture maintains very tight biosecurity, segregating its chickens and workers to limit any potential damage, while Seng Choon has halted school visits to limit the number of people coming into contact with its chickens. Mr Ma, whose birds come from Malaysia, is more concerned. He says: “There’s no guaranteed way to guard against bird flu, especially in Europe. It could come through migratory birds.” Like the product itself, the egg industry is a fragile one.ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO Singapore is a major transit hub for avian visitors, with more than 100 species stopping by every year. The local egg industry was hit with another scare in May when Brazil, one of Singapore’s top poultry sources, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm. However, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Animal & Veterinary Service clarified that the Republic does not import poultry or poultry products from that farm. Then there is the threat of US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs – whose trickle-down effects are expected to drive up the cost of equipment and feed – as well as the perennial problem of limited labour. Citing manpower as their biggest obstacle to expansion, all three farms have tried to offset the pressure using technology. In the last couple of years, Seng Choon Farm has upgraded its sensors with artificial intelligence and introduced an automated egg inspection system that can grade and sort its eggs. With this $800,000 upgrade, the machine, which can process up to 126,000 eggs an hour, now has an accuracy rate of 98 instead of 95 per cent. Seng Choon Farm has deployed machinery to cope with the labour shortage. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO Apart from better quality control, automation has helped streamline operations throughout the farm. “The machines have filled in for so many jobs. It’s a combination of everything – automatic feeding, automatic manure removal, automatic collection of water. It adds up to some manpower savings,” says Mr Koh. Chew’s Egg has also installed a bigger capacity, million-dollar machine for loading, sanitising and packing eggs. It does the job of four to five workers, allowing the company to redeploy and reskill them. But Mr Ma points out that there is a limit to what robots can do: catching and transporting hens, vaccinating them and delivering eggs to customers are, for instance, beyond their capabilities. Due to this bleak outlook, Singapore’s fourth egg farm, to be operated by local company ISE Food Holdings (IFH), may be reconsidering its plans to set up here. Last July, Singapore-listed engineering and service solutions provider Ellipsiz, a shareholder of IFH, noted the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, global inflationary pressures and the threat of disease on rising costs. In an update to the Singapore Exchange, it added: “It is expected that a considerable amount of time and effort will be required to address these issues. Against this background, a re-evaluation of the viability of the egg farm project by the company, in consultation with the relevant authority, may also be required.” The SFA tells ST that it is “in discussion with IFH on their business plans, and resourcing requirements”. To date, the agency has not awarded any grants to the company. As for the three farms that remain, they are holding on for now: neither expanding nor contracting, keeping prices stable and hoping that their branding, outreach and education efforts will one day pay off.