January 7, 2009
EU implements salmonella rules for eggs
New EU rules prohibit the selling of table eggs that have not been monitored for the presence of salmonella.
The new rule which came into force on January 1, 2009 is part of a drive to speed up the fight against food poisoning through salmonella.
Eggs that are not screened for salmonella can only sold in processed form, and pasteurised to eliminate risks to consumers.
The same rules apply to eggs from flocks which have tested positive for salmonella enteritidis or salmonella typhimiruim.
The restrictions will also apply to egg imports from third world countries which do not comply with the new EU regulations.
EU has only allowed egg imports from Norway, Croatia and Switzerland as these countries have provided safety guarantees on their eggs.
