That’s the view shared of the British Egg Industry Council’s (BEIC) chief executive Mark Williams in this exclusive podcast for FoodManufacture.co.uk.
Version 7 of the code of practice has been launched as part of the BRIC’s aim to constantly improve the code and strive for the highest levels of food safety within the UK.
“The measures we have in version 7 … will really prevent any possibility for fraud,” Williams claimed. “If food manufacturers speck British Lion eggs they know they’re getting the safest possible products.”
‘Latest food safety advice’
At more than 200 pages in length, and with more than 700 auditable criteria, it is the most comprehensive yet, consolidating the very latest scientific, veterinary and food safety advice on producing and handling eggs, claimed Williams.
Listen to this podcast to find out exactly what the changes to the code are and what benefits they will bring food and drink manufacturers.
Since November 1998, 130bn Lion eggs have been sold, £100million has been invested by the UK egg industry in the British Lion scheme, 2M Lion eggs have been tested and more than 50,000 audits have been carried out.
The Lion scheme has effectively eradicated salmonella in British eggs and reversed a long-term sales decline, the BEIC claimed. Egg consumption was now at its highest level since before the original salmonella crisis 25 years ago, it said. The retail market value had also increased by more than £300M since 1998.
Version 7 of the Lion Code of Practice at a glance:
- Hygiene monitoring programme to be completed before replacement birds are taken onto the farm
- Salmonella typhimurium vaccination
- Stringent controls on rodents
- List available to sites of authorised disinfectants (no phenols used)
- Water quality testing
- Increased number of flock inspections
- Earlier access to range for free-range hens
- Recommendations on reducing feather pecking
- Ban on use of the broad-spectrum antibiotic flouroquinolones at day-old
- Ban on the use of all 3rd and 4th generation antibiotic cephalosporins