Avoiding Egg Issues

Ian Jones, Vice Chairman of the British Egg Products Association, urges food manufacturers to buy British Lion eggs to be sure of the highest standards of product safety.

I was concerned to read that dioxin-tainted eggs entered the food chain in the EU recently. 

The majority of issues with pasteurised egg products, such as dioxin-contamination, are caused through feed because whatever a hen eats can get into the egg.

The British Lion scheme assures caterers and food manufacturers who specify Lion eggs and egg product that they are using a quality product produced to the highest food safety standards, and this assurance starts with the feed. 

The British Lion Code of Practice sets strict guidelines with all feed used by Lion egg producers approved under the Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS) and a ban on tainting raw materials and products such as Canthaxanthin, a yolk colourant; and Lasalocid, a growth promoter used in the broiler industry, so there are no risks of cross-contamination. 

I mentioned in a recent column that food service outlets and food manufacturers may be risking their reputation by using imported eggs or egg products that are not produced to the same standards as set by the British Lion and this recent dioxin-contamination underlines that point.