Shoppers buying eggs in UK supermarkets are being urged to check for a tiny mark that shows the eggs are safe to eat. For years, vulnerable people – including pregnant women, babies and older people – were advised not to eat lightly cooked or raw eggs because of the risk of salmonella poisoning.
However, those rules, in place since a major salmonella scare in the 1980s, were updated a decade ago after a massive reduction in cases of the infection. This followed the introduction of the British Egg Industry Council’s Lion Code of Practice, which the government has said is responsible for a dramatic fall in human cases of salmonella.
What the Lion mark means
According to the Food Standards Agency, the risk of anyone contracting salmonella from eggs produced under the scheme is extremely low, as those eggs are virtually free from the infection. More than 90% of British eggs are now produced within the British Lion scheme, which requires producers to follow a stringent Code of Practice, including vaccinating hens against salmonella, increased hygiene controls, salmonella testing, stamping a best-before date on the egg shell and box, and independent auditing.
In November 2013, former Health Minister Edwina Currie, whose comments fuelled the salmonella scare, described British Lion eggs as the safest in the world. However, only eggs produced under the British Lion scheme are included among those deemed suitable for vulnerable people to eat.
How to identify covered eggs
All eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice are stamped with the British Lion mark – a red image of a lion – along with additional information. In addition to the Lion Mark, all Class A eggs must be marked with a code that includes:
- A number showing the farming system – 0 is organic, 1 free range, 2 barn, 3 cage
- Country of origin, such as the UK
- Farm production unit – a code denoting the farm
- Best-before date
So if a code reads 3UK54321, then BB 15 Apr, it means the egg is caged, produced in the UK at a farm with identity number 54321, and best before April 15.
Where to buy British Lion eggs
Egg info says: “British Lion eggs are widely available from all major retailers, as well as reputable independent traders. Stockists include Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.” For foodservice businesses, they are widely available from major delivered wholesalers, as well as many smaller regional traders, and cash and carries.
