June 13, 2012

UK relies on processed eggs to meet manufacturing needs

Britain is expecting to fulfil about 20% of its manufacturing needs, through tanker loads of pasteurised liquid egg imports and bulk consignments of frozen and powdered European product.

The EU's ban on conventional cage housing for hens on layer farms, which came into practice on January 2012, has caused a major egg shortage. Food companies are struggling to find sufficient egg ingredients for products such as cakes, pastries, ice cream and mayonnaise. And it has sent the price of liquid egg pulp up by 85%.

Over 50 million layers went out of business in the EU because they either did not have the space for enriched cage housing or they could not afford the conversion. And the hen cull was about 150% bigger than expected, despite planning the implementations since 1999.