Advice on safe storage, handling and use of eggs for catering

The following guidance should be read in addition to the official guidance for food and feed businesses on the FSS website.

Some eggs can contain Salmonella bacteria inside or on their shells, so it’s important to be careful how you handle and use them. 

Salmonella can cause very serious illnesses, particularly in:

• young children (under 5 years old),
• pregnant people
• older adults aged 65 years and above
• those with an underlying health condition (such as cancer, diabetes, HIV, liver or kidney disease)
• those taking medications such as immunosuppressants or proton pump inhibitors

In severe cases, Salmonella food poisoning can cause death.

Caterers should always buy eggs from reputable suppliers who can demonstrate the traceability and provenance of their products.

Due to the risk of Salmonella, it is best practice to purchase UK hen eggs. These should be sourced from a reputable supplier which uses eggs from chickens vaccinated against Salmonella. This reduces the chance that the eggs they produce will have Salmonella inside or on the shells.

When you receive an egg delivery, you should conduct a spot check on their quality. You should reject eggs that you find are damaged, dirty or not to the required standard. This is because dirt or bacteria might have got inside the eggs which may indicate a higher risk of Salmonella.

FSS considers eggs produced under the British Lion Code and Laid in Britain assurance schemes to present a very low risk of Salmonella which means that the risk of contamination is very low, but cannot be excluded. This is different to the risk being ‘negligible’, which means it’s so rare that it does not merit consideration.

No egg can be guaranteed to be free from Salmonella, whatever the source or brand. Good hygiene and food handling practices should therefore always be followed.

Caterers should consider the people they are preparing food for and whether any consumers may be at higher risk of infection. 

This is particularly important when preparing foods that contain raw or lightly cooked eggs, including eggs with runny yolks, fresh mayonnaise, mousses, soufflés and similar dishes. Therefore, you should consider using eggs produced under the British Lion Code or Laid in Britain assurance schemes. 

If you cannot verify that eggs are produced under either assurance scheme, you should ensure that egg dishes are thoroughly cooked or prepared using pasteurised egg products.

If eggs are cracked for later use, keep the liquid egg refrigerated, take out small amounts as needed, and use it as soon as possible. Use all ‘pooled’ liquid egg on the same day and don’t add new eggs to top it up.

Pasteurised egg products are suitable for foods that will not be cooked or will only be lightly cooked. They are commonly available as chilled liquid whole egg, egg white or egg yolk, as well as frozen and powdered egg products. 

Commercially produced mayonnaise and similar products are often made using pasteurised egg. Using pasteurised egg products can help reduce food safety risks when preparing foods containing raw or lightly cooked egg.

Eggs from species other than chickens carry a higher risk of Salmonella and should not be used in raw or lightly cooked dishes. They should always be cooked thoroughly before being served.

Bacteria may be present on eggshells as well as inside the egg. These bacteria can spread to foods, hands, utensils, and worktops. The following list contains tips to reduce the risk of Salmonella when preparing food for consumers:

• buy eggs from reputable suppliers
• do not accept or use eggs that are cracked, damaged or dirty
• use pasteurised eggs, Lion Code or Laid in Britain assured eggs when serving high-risk consumers
• wash and dry hands thoroughly before and after handling eggs, eggshells and egg packaging
• clean and disinfect surfaces and equipment after handling eggs
• keep eggs away from other foods, both when they are still in the shell and when you have cracked them open
• be careful not to splash raw egg onto other foods, surfaces or dishes
• store eggs in a cool, dry place and keep refrigerated until use
• keep pooled liquid egg refrigerated until use, never top up with new eggs and always use on the same day
• keep storage areas clean with regular maintenance
• do not use eggs beyond their best before date
• dispose of eggshells promptly and clean surfaces thoroughly
• carry out all your work with raw eggs at one time
• serve egg dishes straight away, or cool them quickly and keep chilled
• always cook non-hen eggs thoroughly