Hospitality firms have been urged to take extra care when storing, handling and serving eggs following recent warnings from the FSA over Salmonella.
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Last week, the FSA said it was working with the UK Health Security Agency and other partners to investigate an ongoing outbreak of the bacterial infection.
While the exact cause has not yet been identified, investigations so far have identified links to eggs imported from outside the UK, mainly used by food service and catering establishments, as a potential source.
There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs have been affected.
FSA chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young said: “While investigations continue, our advice around eating eggs remains the same. Eggs that are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not present a food safety risk.”
FSA tips for pub operators
Take care with raw and lightly cooked eggs
Extra care should be taken when preparing or serving foods containing raw or lightly cooked eggs.
Examples of items to avoid include:
- Soft boiled or poached eggs
- Fresh mayonnaise
- Mousses
- Souffles
- Hollandaise sauce
Identify vulnerable customers
Infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only eat runny or raw eggs if they have a British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain egg assurance scheme.
This advice does not apply to those who are severely immunocompromised and require medically supervised diets.
When eating out, young children, pregnant people, older adults, and those with an underlying health condition – for example, cancer, diabetes, liver or kidney disease – should ensure any eggs they eat are thoroughly cooked.
Maintain good hand hygiene
The FSA advises people handling eggs, eggshells or egg packaging to always wash their hands thoroughly with warm water and soap and dry them properly afterwards.
Source eggs safely
The FSA says it is the legal responsibility of food businesses to ensure appropriate hygiene and food safety controls are in place and working effectively to reduce the risk of Salmonella contamination and provide food that is safe to eat.
Understand the risk
Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) is a common bacterial illness that primarily affects the intestines.
The bacteria typically live in the intestines of infected animals and humans and are shed through faeces.
Humans become infected most often through contaminated water, food or contact with infected animals.
Salmonellosis is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food and can be spread rarely from person-to-person.
It generally causes a mild illness, although vulnerable groups with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever.
The FSA encourages people to sign up to its food alerts to be notified when a product recall is published, helping them avoid eating foods that have been found to be unsafe.
According to the Government website, failure to maintain food safety standards can have serious consequences for pubs, with local authorities able to issue improvement notices and, in serious cases, close premises or pursue prosecution.
It can also result in businesses receiving a low food hygiene rating.
