Food safety is a high profile issue within the food industry. Caterers, food manufacturers and processors and foodservice suppliers all have a responsibility to ensure that the raw materials they use are of the highest quality.
THE LION QUALITY MARK
Since its launch in the late 1990s, the ‘Lion Quality’ mark on shell eggs has played a fundamental role in reassuring consumers that British eggs are the safest in the world. The mark guarantees production under a Code of Practice to significantly higher standards than required by UK or EU law, complete traceability, a best-before date on the shell and compulsory vaccination of the laying flock against salmonella.
The Code of Practice also dictates stringent controls on the content, production, storage and transportation of feed for both pullets and laying birds. Feed must come from mills which comply with the DEFRA Code of Practice for the Control of Salmonellae in the Final Production of Feed for Livestock and be produced to the standard required by the UKASTA Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS). Growth promoting substances and raw materials that could produce taint or toxins in eggs are banned. The use of any ingredients derived from mammalian or avian sources is also prohibited.
BRITISH EGG PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
The Lion Quality mark is licensed to members of the British Egg Products Association (BEPA), who process Lion Quality eggs and who are permitted to use the Lion logo on a range of versatile products.
BEPA members produce the majority of egg products in the UK (approximately three quarters) and abide by a Code of Practice which sets out very strict hygiene controls on processing, pasteurisation and packing. Egg products produced under the BEPA Lion Code of Practice must be sourced from shell eggs produced under the Lion Code of Practice for shell eggs.
BEPA members also undergo independent auditing which is intrinsically linked to HACCP principles in order to maintain standards.
COMPARATIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Regulations for the keeping of laying hens
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EU-regulations in accordance with the Council Directive of 1999/74 |
Lion Code of Practice |
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| Density of animals: | 9 hens per m2 usable area. | New sites 9 birds per m2 usable area. |
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Recommendation: |
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Existing–11.7 birds/ m2. |
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Housing equipment. |
Max. 4 levels, space at least 45 cm. manure must not drop on lower levels. |
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Scratch area. |
250 cm2 per hen at least 1/3 of the floor area with litter. |
Minimum 33% of total floor area. |
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Litter. |
Natural materials. |
Dry and friable, minimum depth 5 cm. |
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Perches. Length. |
15 cm per hen. |
15 cm per hen |
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Positioning of the perches. |
Not above the litter area. |
Positioned to minimise fouling on birds below. Space below perch which is less than 40cm above slatted floor area cannot be used for calculating floor area. |
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Distance to wall. |
At least 20 cm. |
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Materials of the perches. |
Suitable perches without sharp edges. |
Suitable perches without sharp edges. |
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Nests, nest bottom. |
At least 1 single nest for 7 hens or 120 hens/m2. |
1 box per 5 birds or 120 birds/m2. |
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Nest systems. |
No wire mesh. |
Floor substrate. |
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Lighting phases. |
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24 hr cycle minimum 8 hours consecutive artificial light, darkness of 1/3 of day. |
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Brightness. |
Minimum 20 lux. |
Minimum 10 lux. |
| Climate. | Dust and ammonia conform to COSHH i.e. over 8 hours inhalable dust must not exceed 10 mg/m3 and ammonia dust must not exceed 25 ppm. | |
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Free range usage. |
Unrestricted during the day. |
Unrestricted during the day. |
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Free range.
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Birds should have full access to the range as soon as practicably possible. Aim to allow access at 20 wks and no later than 22wks. |
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Size of outside area distance to house. |
4 m2 per bird: max distance to nearest hole. |
Where the birds have more than 150m from nearest pop hole (max 350m) must have a sufficient number of shelter and drinking troughs with the meaning of Council Directive 1999/74/EC. 4 shelters/hectare not exceeding 1,000 birds/hectare. |
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Size of pop holes. |
At least 40 cm wide and 35 cm high, 1,000 birds min. per hole of 2m. |
2 m long by 45 cm high. |
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Number of pop holes. |
Regular spreading over the lengths of the house. |
1 per 600 birds. |
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On the egg. |
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Best before date -21 days from pack. |
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On the packaging.
Inside the packaging. |
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Best before date. |
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Manufacture. |
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Feed mills must be registered with BEIC. UFAS registered sites are not audited. |
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Components. |
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No Canthaxanthin. |