Buyer beware – fake eggs found on sale in China

Chinese newspaper Guangming Daily has reported that a woman, who gave her name as Ms Tian, bought eggs from the back of a lorrry at her local market, only to discover that they were fakes.

Ms Tian told the newspaper that the eggs were on sale for around 6¢ cheaper than usual. Assuming the seller was simply unaware their prices were lower than anywhere else, she proceeded to buy 2.5kgs worth.

But the eggs turned out to be fake copies. The report said that fake eggs first emerged in China around 2005, and cost around half the price of real eggs.

 The newspaper claimed to have found an anonymous source, who could explain how these crooks put heir fake eggs together:

“Prepare a mould, then mix the right amounts of resin, starch, coagulant and pigments to make egg white. Sodium alginate, extracted from brown algae, gives the egg white the wanted viscosity. Then add the fake egg yolk, a different mix of resin and pigments. Once the proper shape is achieved, an amalgamate of paraffin wax, gypsum powder and calcium carbonate makes for a credible shell.”