It said this was based on the results of tests carried out on samples of cloaca smears, faecal smears, eggs, food and water collected from the layer farm.

“The Salmonella monitoring programme on 276 layer farms nationwide has been enhanced to ensure the supply and safety of marketed eggs,” the department said in a statement.

It advised consumers to ensure that the eggs purchased are clean, free of faecal contamination, stored in a suitable place and cooked properly before consumption.

It said SE contamination could occur at the farm because of poor farming practices in terms of biosecurity and hygiene, as well as along the marketing chain due to the unhygienic handling of eggs.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) had ordered several importers to recall eggs marked CEM 014 from the Linggi Agriculture Farm after detecting the presence of SE in the product.