Egg safety update
A new report by the Government’s Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) has concluded that British Lion eggs can safely be eaten runny, even by pregnant women, babies and elderly people, which is great news for consumers, retailers and caterers.
The news about runny eggs has been well publicised, however, the draft report also raised concerns about non-UK egg products, highlighting three separate cases involving Salmonella in imported egg products. It also recommends that measures to improve the traceability of egg supplies, especially those within the catering sector, be considered.
The use of British Lion eggs is recommended because the Lion Code of Practice, introduced in 1998, has effectively eliminated Salmonella from British Lion eggs through a comprehensive suite of measures. The wide-ranging Lion Code of Practice covers the entire production chain and incorporates food safety controls above and beyond those outlined in current UK and EU legislation, and includes:
- British guarantee
- Freshness guarantee – best before date stamped on the shell
- Full registration and traceability of hens, eggs and feed
- Laying flock vaccinated against Salmonella
- Enhanced hygiene controls and Salmonella testing
- Feed controls, including production of feed to Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS) Standards
- Independently audited to the ISO 17065 standard
In addition, the Code of Practice for the Production of Lion Quality Egg Products is the only recognised egg processing Code of Practice and adds further, stringent food safety and hygiene reassurance.
To avoid the potential food safety risks associated with imported egg products, the comprehensive Code of Practice for the Production of Lion Quality Egg Products incorporates robust food safety controls above and beyond those outlined in current UK and EU legislation, and covers the entire supply chain from breeding flocks to the egg processing plant. So, by specifying Lion Quality you can rest assured that you and your customers will be getting egg products produced to the highest standards of food safety.