We can finally put the ‘Eggwina’ controversy to rest

Do you recall back in 1988 when the then health minister Edwina Currie warned us that UK egg production was blighted by salmonella? Almost over night the sales of eggs fell by a half and the government was forced to spend thousands to reassure the British egg eating public.

Mrs Currie subsequently lost her job over the remark.

Many of us happily continued to enjoy our eggs (me included) however this scare did receive the most widespread attention. Fast forward to the present day and I was delighted to read this:

Eggy Soldiers Are Back On The Menu!

If you miss the old days, when dipping toasted soldiers and asparagus fingers into a soft-boiled egg made a delicious breakfast, you’re in for a treat. A new report by Government food safety advisors has concluded that eating runny British Lion eggs is safe – even for pregnant women, babies and the elderly.

Current advice that vulnerable groups should only eat their eggs firmly cooked was set in the late 1980s, following the Salmonella crisis. Raw or lightly cooked eggs were struck from the menu and favourites such as home-made mayonnaise and melt-in-your-mouth, chocolate mousse became a thing of the past.

Now, a year-long review by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) has concluded that British Lion eggs are safe to eat when runny or soft-boiled. The Lion Code has effectively eliminated Salmonella from eggs through a combination of flock vaccination, improved farm hygiene, rodent control, enhanced testing for Salmonella, independent auditing, best-before date stamping on boxes and eggs, cool chain delivery from farm to retail outlets, and traceability. The risk of contracting Salmonella from eating them is negligible.

The authors of the report recommend that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) should consider amending its long-standing advice – that vulnerable groups should avoid raw or lightly cooked eggs – for eggs produced under the British Lion scheme or an equivalent. After a 10 week consultation period (ending on 1st May 2016), there is every reason to expect the FSA will adopt the ACMSF conclusion that eating runny British Lion eggs is safe for those who wish to do so.

It’s still important to protect eggs from cross-contamination by any potential food poisoning bacteria (eg keep them away from raw meat) and to store eggs at a relatively constant temperature. I prefer to keep my eggs in the fridge, but they can be stored at a constant room-temperature. Avoid temperature fluctuations that allow condensation to build up on the shell, as this provides an ideal environment for micro-organisms to thrive.

It’s also important to check for the British Lion stamp. Around 10% of eggs on sale are not produced according to the Lion Code of Practice. If the eggs you use are not produced under the Lion Code (or an equivalent scheme) then it’s advisable to continue to eat them fully cooked.

Being able to offer soft-boiled eggs and toasted soldiers will certainly make weaning easier and a lot more fun. There could also be long-term benefits beyond the good quality nutrition that eggs provide. Emerging evidence suggests that eating eggs during pregnancy and during early weaning is likely to reduce the risk of babies developing an egg allergy.

For more information, visit www.egginfo.co.uk
Article courtesy of Dr Sarah Brewer

Image credit: British Egg Information Service

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