A recent survey of 100 UK chefs by The Staff Canteen (UK chef network) has shown that 37% of respondents were unaware that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not approve serving raw or lightly cooked imported eggs to young children, pregnant women or elderly people. 

Gary Ford, Chief Executive at the British Egg Industry Council, said: “British Lion eggs are FSA approved so operators can confidently serve them to customers however they like, including runny to vulnerable groups. Ford added:

Imported eggs do not come with the same assurances. These knowledge gaps could seriously impact the safety and well-being of any vulnerable groups choosing to eat in these establishments and the reputation of those businesses. We strongly urge the hospitality industry to meet their due diligence requirements and serve British Lion eggs to vulnerable groups."

Only eggs produced under Lion Code with a British Lion mark or eggs produced under the Laid in Britain egg assurance scheme are deemed safe for vulnerable groups to eat in a runny state, according to official FSA advice.

Sterling Crew, the president of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), said:

There’s an assumption that once an egg has been pasteurized, it’s automatically safe, but there’s a lot more to it, especially where some egg products, such as egg white, are heat treated. The code gives assurance not only on egg safety but also on quality, authenticity, provenance, and welfare.”