​Consultation on a review of advice to consumers on eating raw or lightly cooked shell eggs and their products in the UK

Summary

FSS and FSA have today launched a joint consultation to review the advice given to consumers on the consumption of lightly cooked or raw shell eggs. This consultation follows recommendations made in a report by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF).

The ACMSF report was published today and can be found on the FSA website

In line with ACMSF recommendations, it is proposed that we will continue to advise that all raw, soft boiled hen eggs or foods containing lightly cooked hen eggs are unlikely to lead to illness in people who are in good health. In addition, we will no longer advise against the consumption of raw and lightly cooked eggs by vulnerable groups, provided they are produced under the Lion Code Quality Assurance Scheme. The existing advice on non-hen shell eggs (e.g. duck and quail eggs), which should not be consumed raw or lightly cooked, will not change.

In parallel with this consultation, the FSA and FSS are considering the mechanism for UK egg producers which are not currently part of the Lion Code Assurance Scheme to demonstrate an equivalent level of food safety control. We are therefore also seeking views on this matter from egg producers and assurance bodies as part of this consultation.

The consultation will end on Friday 16 September 2016.