A major food safety concern with eggs has been contamination involving salmonella bacteria.

Although the risk of becoming ill from salmonella is relatively small, the infection can be dangerous, especially for the very young, the elderly and those weakened by illness.

During the late 1980’s the bacterium Salmonella enteritidis (S e) was found inside a small number of eggs.

In 1998, the Lion Quality Code of Practice was introduced to incorporate latest research findings and technical developments. These food safety measures include:

• Vaccination against salmonella of all pullets destined for Lion Quality egg producing flocks.
• Best-before date on the shell as well as the egg box of all Lion Quality eggs.
• Complete traceability of Lion Quality eggs through a ‘passport’ system.
• Independent monitoring of the Lion Code.

Since the introduction of the Lion Quality scheme, human salmonella figures have been reduced by more than 54% in three years* and Lion Quality eggs are among the safest in the world. 73,000 Lion Quality eggs were tested in 2000 and no salmonella was found in any of them.

The Chief Medical Officer’s advice, which was made before the Lion Quality scheme was introduced, recommends that raw eggs should not be consumed and vulnerable groups should avoid eating lightly cooked eggs.

* CDR Weekly 8th February 2000. Public Health Laboratories Service. Vol.11, No.6