2 days Ago By News Desk
Information published by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has listed the top food safety concerns related to imported egg products. The risk profile identifies the main hazards associated with shell eggs and egg products imported into the United Kingdom. It covers liquid, dry, cooked, and preserved egg products.
Through expert judgement and inclusion criteria, 22 hazards were shortlisted . Microbiological hazards included Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and non-typhoidal Salmonella, such as Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium. Chemical hazards were agricultural contaminants (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, pyrrolizidine alkaloids), biocides (fipronil, chlorate), environmental contaminants (persistent organic pollutants, melamine, metals), and various pesticides, veterinary medicinal products, and feed additives.
Risk factors for microbiological hazards include hygiene and biosecurity failures, flock age and size, and environmental conditions. Mitigation measures are eradication and vaccination programs, applying HACCP controls, pest control, sampling and testing, and preventing cross contamination. Chemical hazards are linked to environmental exposure and misuse of substances.
Mitigation focuses on environmental controls and monitoring programs. Importance of issue Information helps support the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the FSA in ensuring the safety of imported egg products and guiding market access and audit work. In the UK and EU, egg traceability and record-keeping are mandatory.
Eggs must be marked with the producer code to identify and trace them. Class A eggs are the highest quality and are sold as shell eggs. Class B eggs are typically used in the production of egg products.
Between 2016 and 2022, the UK imported 458,934 tons of shell eggs and egg products. In 2022, they were mainly from the Netherlands, Ireland, and Poland. According to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data, between 2015 and 2019, there were 954 outbreak related confirmed cases of salmonellosis, associated with consumption of eggs or egg products.
Egg products were the primary vehicle of Salmonella outbreaks in the UK from 2015 to 2020. Hazards may enter the egg during formation or after it is laid. Pathogens like Salmonella Enteritidis and chemicals such as mycotoxins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, environmental contaminants, metals, pesticides and veterinary medicines follow the former route.
After laying, hazards may occur when an egg comes into contact with contaminated surfaces. Examples include Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter and biocides which are used in animal husbandry or egg processing environments. Hazard listing Most egg products are pasteurized to destroy bacteria, however certain items may undergo milder processes because of heat sensitivity and shell eggs are not always pasteurized.
Microbiological hazards present a risk in egg products, with Salmonella Enteritidis by far the most frequently implicated in alerts and incidents. The primary exposure routes for Campylobacter and Salmonella are through contaminated feed, water, or from exposure to environmental sources. Listeria monocytogenes also has the ability to persist in the environment, and become established in manufacturing environments.
No maximum limits have been set for mycotoxins or pyrrolizidine alkaloids in eggs and egg products. In 2017, fipronil was detected in egg products in multiple countries, due to its illegal use as a mite treatment for chickens. Chlorate is residue from chlorine-based disinfectants.
Environmental contaminants include dioxins and dioxin-like substances, PCBs, PFAS, PCNs, and melamine. Included metals are arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, lead, and selenium. No maximum levels for heavy metals are in place for eggs.
Copper and selenium may be present in eggs due to their authorized uses. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here .).
